Wimberley Valley News & Views - Vol. 29 Issue 2 - February 2026
POSTAL PATRON
Editor Publisher
Cyle Elizabeth Johnson
Assistant Editor
Catarina Evangeline Johnson
Cover
Ivan Bajic
The Wimberley Valley News & Views, a subsidiary of Valentino Publications, is mailed monthly to all street addresses serviced by the Wimberley Post Office in 78676.
"LOVE LOOKS NOT WITH THE EYES, BUT WITH THE MIND, / AND THEREFORE IS WING'D CUPID PAINTED BLIND."
– WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Picking up where I left off last month, I would like to write a little love letter to you, Wimberley Valley, to our readers, and to our contributors.
Nowhere else on Earth have I ever experienced such life, color, and spirit than I have here. When I was a teenager, I first experienced the Wimberley Way when I moved down from Dallas to live with my parents, Victoria and Kevin, in their barn turned guesthouse in the White Rabbit neighborhood. I adored the small town vibe and the 30 minute scenic drive to Brookshire Brothers. It was the first time I ever felt compelled to pull over to fully bask in what I referred to as a Jimi Hendrix sunset. Even the tall grass was bright pink that autumn evening.
Over the holidays, I took my children and mother-in-law around town for lunch and shopping. We were totally disarmed by the kind people we met everywhere we went. Everyone was so happy to be here. Our contributors hold a special place in my heart. They are hardworking, they are knowledgable, and they genuinely care about their community. Every month, I have the pleasure of reading their articles and updating their ads. I feel such deep gratitude for who they are and what they bring to both this publication and this town.
The Wimberley vibe is an extraordinary one and it takes a special person to appreciate it and move within it.
WIMBERLEY VALLEY COMMUNITY CALENDAR
• Every 1st Mon. Wimberley Apron Society meets at Emily Ann Annex Bldg. Set-up at 5:30, program 6-8pm. Exchange ideas on healthy sustainable lifestyles, gardening, cooking, homesteading. See Facebook page for more.
• Every 2nd Mon. Wimberley Valley Art League meets at the Wimberley Community Center at 6:30-8:30pm. Visit WimberleyArtLeague.org
• Every 2nd Mon. Wimberley 4H meets during the school year at VFW Hall, 401 Jacobs Well Road, 7pm, 6:30pm Clover Kids
• Every 3rd Mon. The Wimberley Area Parkinsons Association meets at the Chapel of The Hills Church, 14601 RR 12 in Wimberley from 10am-12pm. Caregivers, friends, and relatives are welcome. Guest speakers, general discussion. Parkinson’s exercise program. Paulwilj99@gmail.com.
• Every 2nd & 4th Monday, The Wimberley Chapter of Overeaters Anonymous meets at 7pm, Wimberley Presbyterian Church, 956 FM 2325 (3rd door from the right). For more info, call or text Aida, 512-787-8313.
• Every 2nd Monday, Jacob’s Well Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Emily Ann Theater in Wimberley at 9:40am, for chat time and 10am for our business meeting. JacobsWellNSDAR@gmail.com
• Mon. Toddler Time, Wimberley Village Library, 10:30-11:30am
• Every Mon. Stroller Strides workout, 9am, Wimberley First Baptist Church, contact Summer 512 644 4198, SMWimberleyDS@fit4mom.com
• Every Tues. & Fri. 9am-noon, 42 Dominoes at Wimberley Senior Center (inside Community Center). Contact joan1950@gmail.com.
• Every Tues. Gentle Hatha Yoga, 6pm, Wimb. Community Center ($10)
• Every Tues. 6:30pm, Celebrate Recovery with an option for dinner served at 6pm. Calvary Baptist Church, San Marcos. Contact Celebrate Recovery Leadership Team, 512-426-3758.
• Every Tues. Bilingual Spanish Storytime, 10:30-11:30am, Library
• Every Tues. 6:30-8pm. Community Bible Study, an interdenominational Bible study. Men, women, Co-Ed, Spanish, Youth & Children. Register at SanMarcosEve.CBSClass.org
• Every 3rd Tues. The Lions Club meets from 6pm-8pm at the Wimberley Community Center. Call 512-847-0207 for info.
• Every Tues. at noon, Rotary Club meets at Wimberley Library. Ermias K. Gebremeskel is president, 512 210 6966, Ketema_Ermias@yahoo.com
• Every 1st Tue. The Wimberley Community Center hosts free medical checks 9:3010:30am. Call 512-847-2510.
• Every Wed. Stroller Barre workout, 9am, Wimberley First Baptist Church, contact Summer, 512 644 4198 or email SMWimberleyDS@fit4mom.com
• Every Wed. Spanish for Homeschool Teens, 12:30-1:30pm, Wimberley Library, multipurpose room, 7th grade and up
• Every 1st Wed. WV Quilt Guild, 9:30am social, 10am meeting. Presbyterian church 956 RR 2325. WimberleyValleyQuiltGuild.org.
• Every 1st Wed. Transforming Stress: Unique Approach to Calm Body, Mind, Emotions, Friends Meeting Room, 6-7:30pm, contact Dr. Marianne Calvanese, ND for more information, 512 663 1820.
• Every 1st Wed. 5:30-7pm, Wimberley Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance mixer at Middleton Brewing. All are welcome. WimberleyArts.org.
• Every 1st Thurs. Wimberley Chamber of Commerce breakfast, Wimberley Cafe for networking opportunities, 8-9am. Bring business cards.
• Every 3rd Wed. Sept.-May, Herb Society of America, Emily Ann meeting room. Visitors welcome! Refreshments 9:30am, program 10am. February 18, “Medicinal Herbs” Sylvia Forbes Wednesday, March 18 Aaron McCoy “Good Bugs, Bad Bugs.” RSVP Valentine_Lisa@msn.com. HillCountryHerbSociety.org
• Every 1st Thur. Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Support Group, 12:30pm at the Presbyterian Church Library FM 2325. Contact Linda at 512-924-3661.
• Every Thurs. Gentle Hatha Yoga, 12pm, Community Center ($10)
• Every 2nd Thurs, Hill Country Bead Society, noon, Wimb. Village Library. All levels, types of beading, metal work. Join us on Facebook.
• Every 2nd and 4th Thur. 7pm Wimberley Toastmasters Club, First Baptist Church Wimberley, 15951 Winters Mill Parkway. Toastmasters teaches public speaking and leadership. Contact Amy, amy@texiasllc.com.
• Every 3rd Thur. Concerts at Susanna’s Kitchen Coffeehouse, 7:30pm; $25 adults, $5 kids. Pie, pizza, tamales, coffee, soft drinks . RR 12 & CR 1492 (United Methodist Church.) WimberleyUMC.org Barnabas Connection & Mother’s Day Out scholarships. Thurs. Feb 19: Del Castillo Thurs. March 19: Susan Gibson
• Every Thurs. Gentle Yoga 10-11am, Wimberley Village Library
• Every Thursday, Master Gardeners at the Library, 2-5pm
• Every Fri. Wimberley VFW Post 6441 bingo nights. Doors 6:30pm with food concession. Earlybird 7:00pm. Regular 8pm. VFW6441.com/bingo
• Fri. Storytime, 10:30-11:30am, Wimberley Village Library
• Every Fri. Stroller Strides workout, 9am, Emily Ann Theatre, contact Summer, 512 644 4198 or smwimberleyds@fit4mom.com
• Every Fri. Stroller Strides Playdate with Kids Craft Fridays, 10am, Emily Ann Theatre, contact Summer, SMWimberleyDS@fit4mom.com
• Every Fri. Storytime, 10:30-11:30am, Wimb. Village Library
• Every 4th Friday, Art Crawl, 5-8pm, 5 Wimberley galleries open late, guest artists, refreshments. GalleryTrail.com/ArtCrawl
• 1st Sat. Wimberley Market Day, 7am-3pm, rain or shine
• Every 2nd Sat. Wimberley’s Second Saturday Gallery Trail. Visit ten galleries for art, food, fun, 4-7pm. Email BentTreeGallery@gmail.com. Have a glass of wine & enjoy art after hours.
• 1st Sun. of every month, Coffee & Cars, 8am-11am, at Blanco Brew
• Every 2nd Sunday, 2pm Wimberley Valley Art League general meeting, Wimberley Community Center. Everyone is welcome.
• Saturday, March 28: Wimberley: Willow Lake Art Market 20+ artists & vendors. Playground, activities. Face painting, temporary tattoos, music, food trucks. Facebook/willowlakeartmarket. 110 Old Kyle Road
Among the Trees
One of my favorite ways to enjoy the Texas Hill Country is from our own backyard. With its view of the Wimberley Valley and collection of oaks, elms, maples, persimmons, and cedars, it’s a lovely place to visit, read, and do a little container gardening. When time and weather permit, I like to wander our property and visit some of my favorite places to keep up with the changes that Mother Nature so reliably provides. Trees can change awfully fast if they are not where you see them all the time. One of our kids’ favorite places to “go exploring” was around a tree deep in the woods that they dubbed “the U tree” because of its distinctive trunk shape that held a story we’ll never know for sure. Of course, that did not discourage us from positing endless possible narratives of this tree’s life adventures.
Perhaps natives living here once broke and bent the young stem of a live oak sapling to point the way to fresh water from the spring that still flows there today. As the tree continued growing, it headed straight up again, seeking sunlight and creating what would look just like the letter U to a pair of inquisitive kids perhaps seventy-five to one hundred years later. The finding of arrowheads in that area only bolstered the tale.
On a recent walkabout, I found the remains of a construction project that our kids abandoned when I discovered their treehouse would reach twenty feet up into a cedar elm tree. A hammer head and my grandpa’s hand saw were all that remained, since their
by Kern Deschner
Quiet Competence
Since I think this article will be printed in February, which is both Valentines’ month and Rhonda’s birth month, I’m going to brag on Rhonda a little bit. `````.
There are 10,000 reasons I’m impressed with my wife, but this is an article about alpacas, so I will stick to that. She impresses me with her decisiveness and willingness to take action without hesitation. I have always been impressed with that characteristic in people, particularly since I tend to be a deliberator, a look before your leap kind of guy.
Last month, a pregnant alpaca was attempting to deliver a baby. The baby was stuck with an arm back. A shoulder dystocia. For many alpaca breeders, that would mean losing both the mom and the baby before they could get to the vet. But Rhonda grabbed a glove and waded right in. She got her hand and arm in position, straightened out the leg, and the baby was quickly born. It shook itself off, got up, and started nursing. I was awestruck and found myself silently asking, “Who is this amazing person that can do something like that?”
In Peru, alpaca infant mortality is sadly over 60%. We can’t save all of ours either, but alpaca infant mortality with Rhonda’s supervision is less than 5%. Most babies are born fine on their own, but a few of them survive only because Rhonda refuses to let them die! They may be premature, they may be too weak to ``````
wooden handles had joined the recycling efforts of carbon-based life forms. Fortunately, I was able to make new handles for both.
When circumstances prevent me from spending time in nature, Mary Oliver’s poetry is a pretty good substitute:
When I am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness.
by Tim Thompson
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
Horticulturist Tim Thompson managed the garden center at King Feed for over 25 years. They offer everything you need to have the garden of your dreams without stressing your budget. Call King Feed at 512 847 2618.
stand, but she will be there, hour after hour, day and night, making sure the weak babies hang on long enough to figure out how to live.
Last year, I paid for a nice microscope so that she can perform embryo transfer. It is an extremely complicated process with a lot of moving parts that must align just right for it to work. She will transfer an embryo from our best females into a recipient female, thereby multiplying our best animals’ genetics. I honestly believe Rhonda may be the only person in the United States that is routinely able to succeed at embryo transfer.
She can also use the microscope to bravely complete the gross chore of checking the alpaca poop for parasites. Now she can identify critters quickly so that treatment can be started. It is an unpleasant task, but it saves lives. After all this, she will take a shower, dress up stylishly, and then look dazzling when she takes her best alpacas into the show ring the next weekend.
In contrast, I am mostly a land anchor. It is my role to hold the mom alpaca still while Rhonda is getting milk to feed to a baby too weak to stand. I also hold the alpaca while a fecal sample is being obtained, or a delivery dystopia is corrected. I am a human fencepost holding the next show alpacas while she is in the show ring. I have pretty simple job; I just stand there! But, I get to be the assistant to someone who is so incredibly capable.
Rhonda and Kern Deschner are experienced alpaca ranchers raising alpacas through all kinds of Texas weather since 1997. Tierra Prometida Alpaca Ranch can be visited by calling Rhonda at 512 753 9962, or at Tierra@AlpacaUSA.com.
Does It Matter?
Dr. Suzuki wrote that talent is not inborn. He once believed the opposite, that he was not talented, but later realized that belief limited his potential. He turned the thought on its head to free himself to pursue his potential and not settle for anything less.
Wildflower Music Studio’s teachers believe in Dr. Suzuki’s philosophy because it does not limit students’ growth. Instead, the philosophy nurtures and encourages them to develop their abilities and talents to the fullest.
When I say that talent is not inborn and that all children have talent, people ask, “Does it matter that parents and students believe this?” My answer is unequivocal. Yes, it matters that parents believe their child’s talent is not inborn. There is a marked difference between believing that talent can be developed and believing that talent is innate and something to be revealed. The reason is how we pursue our next steps. If we think talent is something that will be revealed, we stop looking for it the minute it becomes hard. We place our children in a sport, and if it doesn’t look like a child-prodigy situation, we remove them from that activity and put them in ballet, music, or another activity. If we do not believe talent can be developed, nurtured, and encouraged, we continue to flit from activity to activity like busy bees. Most likely, we will be disappointed with the results of
by Casey Harrison, LDT, CSLDS, CALT-QIT
Why Do Some Words Look “Tricky”? The Sweet Story Behind Valentine’s and Love
If you spend time with kindergarten and first-grade children, chances are you’ve heard Valentine’s pronounced as Valentimes. It’s one of those moments that makes you smile, because it’s such a natural example of how children are ``````
actively making sense of language. They are listening closely, forming patterns, and using what they already know to figure out new words.
For many years, I used to tell students that some English words simply had to be memorized. Words like love felt especially mysterious. But during my training as a dyslexia therapist, I had a powerful realization: English spelling is far more logical than most of us were ever taught.
That shift in thinking changed everything.
English is a deep and rich language shaped by history. Many spellings tell a story about how words developed over time. When we understand those stories, we can teach children that words aren’t random; they’re meaningful.
Let’s look at the word love. Long ago, scribes who copied books by hand had difficulty reading the letter u when it appeared next to certain letters, such as v. To make the text clearer, they often changed the u to an o. This historical change is called the scribal o. Over time, luve became love.
our talent search, and we will allow our children to quit and join a different activity.
If we instead believe that talent is developed and nurtured through the principles of discipline, repetition, and learning, we pursue the activity to develop talent to its fullest potential. We persevere and encourage our children to reach the goal.
by Paula E. Bird
Children do not learn to walk in a day. We help and encourage them every time they fall down. We delight in every step and misstep on the learning journey, clapping and loving all along the way, and our children learn.
Yes, for the sake of our children, it matters that we believe.
Paula E. Bird has taught in the Wimberley area for over 20 years. Recently retired from Texas State University and the Austin Symphony, she has performed at Carnegie Hall as a founding member of the Artisan String Quartet. Joined by her business partner, musician Ian Lee, the pair serves over 100 students in the Central Texas area. Contact her at birdtull@prodigy.net or (512) 694-7687.
In modern English, the short /ŭ/ sound is often spelled with an o when it appears next to certain letters, such as w, th, m, n, or v. This is why words like love, wonder, won, mother, month, and brother look irregular, even though they actually follow a historical spelling pattern.
Why does this matter? Because when children learn that spelling patterns have reasons, reading and spelling become less about guessing and more about understanding. For students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences, this knowledge is especially empowering. It builds confidence, supports accurate reading, and reduces frustration.
This Valentine’s season, as you hear “Valentimes” or watch your child sound out new words, remember: their brain is doing important work. With the right instruction and support, those early approximations turn into strong, confident literacy skills.
And that’s something to love.
Casey is the founder of the Wimberley Learning & Dyslexia Center. She is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (ALTA), Licensed Dyslexia Therapist (TX, ALTA), Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist (IDA), and a Qualified Teacher with over 27 years of experience. She works with parents, teachers, and PK-12th grade students at her private practice, providing dyslexia therapy, literacy instruction, consultations, resources, and training. She sits on the National Board at-large of the Academic Language Therapy Association. Her podcast, Together in Literacy, focuses on dyslexia, literacy instruction, and the whole child. Author of Teaching Beyond the Diagnosis - Empowering Students with Dyslexia Through the Science of Reading. She resides in Wimberley, with her husband, their three daughters, and many animals in their little slice of the country. Contact Casey at 512 731 7106 13501 Ranch Road 12, #201
It’s a Science
by Tom Wiley
Creating art has been likened to a science experiment. Of course, you need a scientist – someone who can accept chance and guide it to a successful conclusion.
Bethany Trombley can be an artistic scientist. Bethany spent her teen years in Houston and New York City. Those years influenced early interests in art through the important museums she was able to visit. She graduated from Rice University with a degree in History of Art. After starting her family, Bethany earned a Masters degree in Architecture from the University of Houston. She moved to Austin where she opened her own firm.
over a decade as a staff architect for the University of Texas at Austin. In 2013, she knew it was time to create art fulltime and become part of the Wimberley art scene.
Bethany loves being self-taught. This excitement allowed her to experiment with new mediums and techniques. That’s what led to watercolor. Wading through online instruction, working through trial and error, testing various values of light and shadow all resulted in a baseline of success with watercolor. With landscapes, she usually starts with the sky. This can set the mood for the rest of the scene. Traveling to locations such as France allowed her to mentally capture scenes of new colors, new structures.
Another favorite is West Texas and the Big Bend area. Capturing alpenglow hovering over rugged terrain is something special! Bethany had a slow start exhibiting in Wimberley. She entered a few shows in the area and felt the excitement of competition. She exhibited at a Guest Show at Art On 12 Gallery. That successful experience enabled her to be invited to claim wall space.
Her paintings have also been recognized many times at Wimberley Valley Art League shows at their gallery in the Community Center. Bethany exhibits at Prudencia Art Gallery in San Antonio, which includes an upcoming show beginning March 7. Working with hand-printed paper and acrylic paint, she has developed a series of landscapes.
Bethany can often be found in her she-shed studio creating collage art. This technique helped her explore abstractions. As a collage piece progresses, she is able to evaluate which direction the scene is taking and develop it.
Isn’t that an artistic scientist?
Bethany Ramey Trombley Fine Art
BethanyRameyTrombley.com
Bethanybeane48@gmail.com
For Today
by Sarah Geenberg
We drive ourselves crazy trying to meet exercise goals, when, really, the only goal should be to exercise. And let it feel great! If it doesn’t, slow it down or change it up. But consistency should be the only goal one has.
Holding off on feeling successful is not good. It will have you frustrated that
you are so out of shape, now. You’ll habitually feel out of shape, no matter what, because you’ll naturally expand the goal. You’ll injure yourself because the goal is more important than listening to your body. It will not feel good and you won’t want to continue it. And I wouldn’t blame you for quitting if it means getting away from the stress this pattern causes. In karate, we say that a balance of strong focus and soft focus is ideal. For example, we need to be able to focus a lot of energy in one spot for a strike, but we also need to be able to soften our focus so that we can notice and deal with attacks from many angles at once. Of course, we are taught to avoid actual confrontations, but the idea fits for many things we encounter in life.
by Robert Donnelly, DDS
For example, we need to be able to focus our energy on a path to a goal and at the same time be aware and adjustable if it is time to change paths. This can even soften to how we feel about ourselves. We can feel strong in who we are and also be open to learning anew. Actually, that feeling of strength allows us to take on new things with more ease.
People need to think of the right exercise for today. When you treat your body well and be happy – even grateful – that you are exercising, today, no matter what it is you’re doing, your body will reward you way more than you’d expect.
Listen to your body and feel the joy of the movement. This is where the real juice is and it will make you want to exercise again and again. Good luck and feel great!
Sarah Geenberg is the owner of Wimberley Karate and Yoga Studio. They have classes every day except Sundays. First class is free, so come by, anytime.
The Effects of Acid Erosion
The loss of tooth enamel due to acid erosion and acid wear is a growing epidemic. Studies have found that 22% of U.S. adults say they experience acid erosion, which can cause tooth sensitivity, transparency, discoloration, and more.
Acid erosion occurs when acid in the foods and drinks you consume wears away your enamel which is the white-looking outer covering of the tooth. Erosion exposes your teeth’s inner layers, which increases sensitivity and makes them more susceptible to cavities or decay. It also can leave your teeth looking cracked, transparent and discolored. Acid erosion also can occur as a result of your teeth’s exposure to stomach acids due to some medical conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease and bulimia.
In addition, environmental factors, including friction (bruxism) and brushing too hard (abrasion) can cause erosion. Signs and symptoms of acid erosion include sensitivity, discoloration, rounded teeth, transparency, cracks and cupping, or small dents that may appear on the chewing surface of your teeth.
You can reduce sensitivity at home by using specially formulated toothpaste or over-the-counter enamel-building products. These products are designed to re-harden (remineralize) tooth enamel
to make it more resistant to acid. However, there are no products that can reverse the damage caused by erosion.
At the dental office, if the enamel loss is minimal, we may apply a bonding material that will protect your tooth and improve its appearance. If the enamel loss is significant, we may recommend covering it with a crown.
If you or someone you know suffers from dental anxiety, please contact us at 512 396 5225 so we can help you take the needed steps to get a healthy mouth and smile... and get rid of dental anxiety once and for all. Come see why Dr. Donnelly was voted a Texas Super Dentist by Texas Monthly Magazine and Best Dentist in Hays County!
Zen & the Art of Vine Swinging
It took packing up a U-Haul of my possessions and leaving my home of eight years, where I’d worked as a photojournalist in the cool mountain air of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and moving to Austin with the sweltering summers that start in the spring and loiter into the fall. It took, at the age of thirty-six, entering an Austin evening graduate school and working odd jobs during the day to pay my bills. It took volunteering at a low-cost psychological services internship where I saw clients on a sliding scale, some fees as low as fifty cents a session. It took working at three sites, including a prison, to complete my two thousand hours of postgraduate internship.
And finally, I was there. Facing my counseling licensure state board examinations, where I would have to answer two hundred multiple-answer questions on a computer notebook. I think I prayed more in those several hours than I had in a month. I clicked on the last question, and I was done. The test proctor, a grandmotherly type of woman dressed in an electric red muumuu sporting prints of watermelons the size of footballs, ejected the disk from the computer on which I had tapped out my answers. Following her to the results room, where my score was going to be calculated in thirty seconds, a detached calmness fell over me.
My friend from graduate school told me about his experience in receiving those test results the month before. When he was told that he had passed his state boards, he impulsively hugged the proctor. As I sat on the hard plastic chair while the computer whirled through my answers, I thought, cool and try to look stoic. going to hug this woman.
The test proctor glanced at my results spit out by the dot-matrix printer (this was the mid-1990s, after all) before reading them aloud. Her beaming face told me the answer. I reached up and hugged her hard, watermelon-covered muumuu and all. I could breathe again.
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, wrote, “Neurosis is the
by Leslie Tourish, LPC
inability to tolerate ambiguity,” and believed this to be the engine behind so many of our paralyzing fears. And believe me, I was beyond scared when I left one comfortable job to dive into the unknown of an entirely new career in early middle-age. But as I tell my clients, we may feel comfortable when we’re swinging through the proverbial jungle, hanging onto a vine. But fear occurs when we loosen our grip in order to grab the next vine. It’s the open space, the free fall, that so many of us find intolerable. Fear keeps us stuck onto some pretty sick vines, such as unhealthy relationships and dead-end jobs.
In his book, Zen and the Art of Making a Living, Laurence Boldt
Seller-Paid Rate Buy Down:
Strengthening Your Offer
A seller-paid rate buy down is an option that not many home buyers know about. This type of concession can be a win-win scenario for both buyer and seller. Let’s take a look at what a seller-paid rate buy down is and how it can strengthen your offer to buy a home.
What is a seller-paid rate buy down? The seller-paid rate buy down could also be called seller-paid points. Paying points or buying down the interest rate, means that the overall cost of the loan is lower. Both lower monthly payments and total interest paid for the life of the loan is a big savings for a home buyer. What are the benefits for the home seller? Paying points to lower the cost of financing for the home buyer can potentially help the seller get a higher price for the home.
What are the benefits for the home buyer? Using the seller-paid points to buy down the interest rate on the mortgage, lowers the upfront cost of buying a home by rolling some of the financing costs into the loan.
A lower interest rate will have monthly and overall savings for the home buyer. The interest rate on a mortgage impacts the monthly payments, meaning that buying down the interest rate will allow for a more affordable mortgage payment.
What are the risks of a seller-paid rate buy down?
It’s a different kind of offer… The truth is that this financing tactic is unique and it can be confusing to some sellers who don’t understand exactly how it works.
by Jim & Debbie Donaldson
The home appraisal is a key component of the deal… Making an `` offer that is close to the fair market value of the home is essential to making a seller-paid rate buy down work.
This is a unique way to make a stronger offer with potential benefits for both buyer and seller. Having an experienced mortgage lender and real estate expert on your team could be key to your success in the current housing market.
Adapted from TexasLending.com
Jim and Debbie Donaldson are Sales Agents with Keller Williams, Partners in Real Estate Group, in Wimberley. They moved to Wimberley in 1993 and enjoy helping sellers and buyers have an awesome real estate experience. You can reach Jim at 830 857 3371 or Jim.Donaldson78@gmail.com and Debbie by phone at 512 665 9588 or email Debbie.Donaldson79@gmail.com.
Eight Reasons You Need a Real Estate Pro to Sell Your Home
by AJ Harwood
If you’re thinking about selling your home, don’t do it alone. Although some sellers may initially try to sell their home themselves, they soon realize they need an experienced professional on their side to
help them through the process.
1) Understand the local market. The internet gives you access to more information now than ever before. An experienced real estate professional, like me, is able to help you understand this information in the context of the local market and interpret what it means to your home sale.
2) Price your home competitively. When you list your home, you want it to sell quickly and for top dollar. Having professional assistance will help you do both in competitive markets.
3) Get more money for your home. All sellers want their homes purchased at the listed price, if not more. Studies show that enlisting the aid of an agent to sell your home will net you more money than trying to sell it yourself.
4) Negotiate in your best interest. Buyers are looking for a deal on a home and they’ll hire an experienced agent to negotiate the sale for them. Having a real estate pro on your side will even the playing field and help you negotiate the terms of the sale.
5) Spot potential challenges. Every real estate transaction is different. While we hope transactions go smoothly, setbacks and ``
other hiccups often occur. Sellers who have listed their homes themselves may not have the experience to deal with these issues.
6) Offer tips to improve your home’s value and make it more attractive to buyers. Sellers typically update their homes before they list. A realtor knows how to boost your home’s value.
7) Tap into a network of agents. Marketing your home to other agents is another way to help us find a qualified buyer.
8) Tap into a network of service professionals. There is an average of 26 services involved in a real estate transaction in the 30 days before and after it has closed.
Don’t hesitate to call me with your questions on the real estate market! I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve you by sharing market updates or assisting with your buying or selling needs with clear, concise information you can trust. Experience matters, especially in today’s changing market.
This information is designed to provide a brief overview of the subject matter covered and is offered for general educational and informational purposes only.
Allison “AJ” Harwood, JD, MBA, GRI, is a broker associate with Compass and Founder & Principal of the Hill Country Ranch Luxury Group. With decades of real estate experience and advanced legal and business credentials, AJ provides sophisticated representation for buyers and sellers. AJ’s background in law and business, combined with deep market knowledge, allows him to guide clients through complex transactions with confidence and clarity. Call today and begin a strategic conversation, 512 848 6612.
Trees and Storm Damage
Most damage to properties during storms is caused by falling trees and limbs. As indicated in an article by the Bartlett Tree Experts educational staff, it isn’t possible to totally protect your trees and property from storms, but risk of damage can be reduced by having a qualified arborist inspect your trees for defects and conditions that predispose them to failure. These defects and conditions can include presence of decay in the branches, trunk, or roots; overextended branches with foliage concentrated at the ends; stems or branches of similar size that originate from the same junction; soil heaving opposite a trunk lean, and similar situations.
Proper pruning can improve weight distribution in and wind flow throughout the canopy and reduce stress on weakened areas of branches. Properly installed support cables and braces, where needed, are also effective in reducing risk of failure. Tree lightning protection systems may also be appropriate in certain situations.
Property owners should be aware that topping and lion’s-tailing are not proper pruning practices and can even increase failure risk. Among other reasons that topping is bad for trees, it
produces extensive sprouting. These sprouts can grow into branches that form weak attachments. Lion’s-tailing, an unfortunately common practice, removes too much foliage along the length of the branches, leaving it concentrated at the branch ends. This increases risk of branch failure, and it’s also unhealthy for the tree.
by Joe Harris
If your tree has sustained storm damage, or even poor pruning, restoration pruning may be appropriate to improve structure and appearance.
Through the years, we’ve occasionally received feedback from clients who noticed that their properly pruned trees had held up better during storms than neighboring trees that had not been pruned, or properly pruned. Again, preventive maintenance of your trees doesn’t remove all risk, but it can certainly reduce it, and that’s a worthy objective.
Joe grew up in Charlotte, Michigan, as a second-generation arborist. He attended Texas State, joining Bartlett while he was there. Joe worked 5 years as an arborist climber and crew leader, transitioning to Arborist Representative. He and his family love spending time on the San Marcos river. Visit Bartlett.com or call 512 392 1089 to schedule an appointment.
Microbiological Safety of Your Water
by Randy Lawrence
The subject of water quality is widely discussed and certainly becomes a topic of interest to new Hill Country residents who may have relocated from a more urban setting and find themselves faced with water problems.
Paramount among these issues is ensuring that your water supply is free of bacterial contamination and therefore safe to drink. The most common type of bacteria found in untreated household water supplies is coliform. Ingesting this type of bacteria typically causes varying levels of stomach upset and intestinal issues.
If you pay a water bill each month, you can typically rest assured that the water is being disinfected with chlorine, or chloramines, before being distributed to your neighborhood. However, if your household water is supplied by a rain water system, or a privately owned well on your property, it is very important to be aware of the microbiological safety of your water. Without outside interference, it is fairly uncommon for water pumped directly from a conventional water well to be contaminated with bacteria. Examples of outside sources of contamination can include animal enclosures or septic drain fields in close proximity to the wellhead. One common cause for bacterial contamination in household supplies is often a large storage tank which is filled by the well or by a rain water collection system. As beneficial as these storage tanks are, this water is unavoidably exposed to the
possibility of contamination, making it necessary to consider adding a disinfection step to your home water treatment system. Compared with the maintenance hassles associated with adding chemicals to your water, ultraviolet disinfection is a much more user friendly method of sterilizing your water supply. These wall mounted units are most effectively placed as the last step of treatment. This way the water is already filtered or treated for minerals before entering the UV unit, minimizing ongoing maintenance. UV bulbs should be changed annually to maintain effectiveness. Contact a licensed water treatment specialist with any concerns about the quality of your water supply.
Randy is the owner of ProQuality Water Systems, a full service water treatment company. He is one of only six Class III Certified Water Treatment Specialists in Hays County (LIC# WT0002693). With over 25 years of experience he has serviced Wimberley and surrounding areas for over two decades.
“When you want quality, call a pro.”
Tax-Efficient Retirement Income Strategies
Maximizing Savings for a Secure Retirement
Creating tax-efficient income in retirement can help your savings last longer and ensure financial stability. By applying smart strategies, retirees can minimize taxes and maximize what they keep. Here are key approaches for tax-efficient retirement income.
1. Diversify Your Retirement Accounts Holding a mix of taxdeferred (traditional IRAs, 401(k)s), tax-free (Roth IRAs), and taxable accounts gives you flexibility. Each year, you can choose withdrawals from the accounts that will result in the lowest tax impact, potentially avoiding higher tax brackets in certain years.
2. Strategic Withdrawals and RMDs Required minimum distributions (RMDs) start at a specific age for tax-deferred accounts. Missing RMDs triggers steep penalties. Consider drawing from tax-deferred accounts earlier when in a low tax bracket or converting some balances to a Roth IRA to produce tax-free income and reduce future RMDs.
3. Capital Gains Management Gains from investments held over a year are taxed at lower long-term rates. Taking gains in years with less income can cut your tax bill. Tax-loss harvesting— selling investments at a loss to offset gains—can further reduce taxes.
4. Social Security Timing When you claim Social Security affects both your benefit size and tax liability. Delaying benefits
increases payments and may let you reduce other taxable withdrawals beforehand, minimizing the portion of Social Security benefits that are taxable.
5. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) Those aged 70½ or older can transfer up to $100,000 from an IRA directly to charity. These QCDs count toward RMDs and are not included in taxable income, helping to lower overall taxes.
Taking time to plan withdrawals and account choices can lead to substantial tax savings. Consult a financial advisor to tailor these strategies to your circumstances and adapt to tax law changes.
Scott G. Hackett, CFP® is the president of the Hackett Financial Group LLC (HFG), a fee-only registered investment advisor. Visit HackettFinancialGroup.com or reach out at 512 847 0630. Email Scott at Scott@HackettFinancialGroup.com.
by Carrie Campbell, J.D.
Transfer on Death Deeds
A Transfer on Death Deed (ToDD) is a good option for spouses to minimize the possibility of probate. The ToDD, when properly prepared and filed in the county where the property is located, transfers one spouse’s interest to the
surviving spouse at the time of death.
The ToDD can also be used to transfer a parent’s interest to an adult child, but it is not recommended for more than one beneficiary. It is often a significant challenge when property is gifted to more than one person because joint owners rarely have the same ability to pay for property taxes, repairs, or maintenance, nor may they share the same standard of care when using the property.
For inheritance purposes, it is preferable in Texas to use a Will for the appointment of an executor to sell a property, then divide the proceeds as instructed between the heirs. It is one point of contact versus multiple owners trying to agree, negotiate the sale, and attend the closing. The Will can also allow a child to buyout other heirs if they prefer to keep the property. Wills can include a contingent trust for minor children or grandchildren who might inherit, but ToDDs that transfer property to minor children will require guardianship proceedings which are more difficult, more expensive, and more intrusive than probating a Will.
It is important to note that having a ToDD does not on its own avoid probate. Probate is necessary when there are assets that must be conveyed or debts that must be discharged. A ToDD applies only to real property, and a separate ToDD must be filed for each piece of land if there is more than one. Different beneficiary forms would need to be completed and recorded for other common assets such as vehicles, financial accounts, business interests, and royalties to avoid probate but with the same limits regarding minors.
To determine whether a ToDD is right for your family, you should consult with an attorney experienced in estate planning and probate.
Carrie Campbell has lived and practiced law in Wimberley since 1997. She is the managing partner of Mounger & Campbell law firm. Carrie is an active member of the Rotary Club of Wimberley and former president of the Wimberley Village Library Foundation. She proudly has three wonderful daughters and two lively grandsons. To contact Carrie, call 512 847 1308 or CarrieC1970@gmail.com.
Litigation: You Can’t Sue Allstate
YOU: But I don’t want to sue him; I want to sue his insurance company and that sadistic adjuster.
LAWYER: You can’t!
YOU: What!! Clients are often surprised when their lawyer explains that certain lawsuits cannot be brought directly against the insurance company. It can be frustrating when the suit has to be filed only because insurance company for the person who hit you has delayed, denied, or low-balled the claim. Nevertheless, you can’t sue the adjuster or the insurance company, only their insured who may be a perfectly liable person. In Texas when the insurance company will be responsible to pay only if their insured is responsible for the loss, the suit must be against the insured, not the insurance company. This results from the fact that Texas does not have a “direct action statute”. In states which have a direct-action statute, the insurance company can be sued directly in such situations, but that’s not Texas.
JUROR: We just didn’t feel that fellow could afford to pay a big judgment, so that’s why our verdict was only for a small portion of your total damages.
After the client hears this in the hallway following the trial, the client is even more frustrated because the client’s lawyer was not allowed to tell the jury that the individual or entity being sued will not have to pay the judgment because there is liability insurance that will pay the judgment. The opposing lawyer always files a motion, called a “motion in limine”, requesting that the judge prohibit counsel and witnesses for the injured party from mentioning the insurance coverage.
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150 RR 3237, P.O. Box 727 • Wimberley, TX 78676
Office: 512/847-2278 • Fax: 512/847-5131
In addition, the jury is instructed by the Court that they cannot consider whether or
not a party is covered by liability insurance. Obviously, this can result in just the sort of statement by a juror that the imaginary client referred to above heard in the courthouse hallway. The client’s frustration is easy to understand.
There are some cases in which the insurance company can be sued directly. A common one is when it is your own insurance company and you are bringing an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim. Another is when an adjuster or other employee or representative of the insurance company does something wrong. We discuss those in other “Litigation” articles appearing from time to time in this publication. Some of these articles can also be found in Roland’s Law Blog at Roland@RolandsLaw.com.
Attorney Roland Brown handles exclusively personal injury claims. Roland, who offices in Wimberley, has been voted HAYS COUNTY’S BEST PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY for 2020, 2021, and 2023 in annual polls of Hays County attorneys. For more information call 512 847 2500. by Roland Brown
Donaldson
Originally built as a custom builder’s personal residence, this 21 ± acre Hill Country estate in Wimberley’s River Mountain Ranch showcases timeless design and panoramic southeast views. The 3,683+/- sq ft home offers 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and elegant living spaces. A 600+/- sq ft guest casita overlooks a wet-weather creek. Ag exempt with private Blanco River access—refined living minutes from downtown Wimberley.
