13315 N HIGHWAY 16 , Llano, TX 78643(Llano County)

BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM HOME ON approx. 26.95 ACRES WITH LIVEOAKS, POST OAKS AND WET WEATHER CREEKS! This true Hill Country property abounds in character with it's huge live oak trees, meandering wet weather creeks that run throughout the property (good area for a tank), deep sandy loam soils, good native grasses and privacy. Paved road frontage off of HWY 16 just north of Llano about 6 miles makes this a premier place to live. It is both convenient to Llano, Cherokee and San Saba, a very private location. There are two front entrances off the highway. The two-story, 3 bedroom, 3 bath custom home with a large living room, office room, open kitchen, one small dining area and one large dining area (could be easily converted to a downstairs master), and screened in sun room, is one-of-a-kind. Built in '82, it is one of the earliest green homes of it's kind, with a 700' Geothermal well (recently replaced new lines and solar operation). A new solar panel, new 75 gallon hot water heater, and two new central heat/air units, have also been installed recently. Electric bills are very low! Newly installed 1,000 gallon septic and drain field. Custom rock work (such as that on adjacent walls in the home, fireplace, island in the kitchen, and various other locations) completed with San Saba sandstone, gives this home a modern country feel. Custom wood walls and ceilings in areas such as the living room and other places throughout the home also add to the home's distinguished charm. The layout of the home is very functional. A bathroom and office close to the front of the home, a kitchen that opens to the living, an open hallway spanning the home, an upstairs that overlooks the downstairs, a door exiting to the garage/carport, are just a few of these functional features. There is a barn with a nice workshop, A shed and small pens are great for a livestock. An outside storage building just several feet from the home is also very handy. The metal piped fenced yard has been manicured and is lush green, landscaped and surrounds an approx. 754' of shaded wood deck. The property is surrounded by larger ranches (one with a beautiful coastal field and another being covered in large liveoaks and native cover.) This property would be great for HORSES, as it is quiet, has good soils, plenty of riding space with shade from the large live oaks and post oaks and a beautiful open front pasture lined with huge live oaks. Fenced and cross fenced pastures. The back pasture has some terracing. Great hunting! Ag exempt at this time. This property WILL NOT LAST LONG because of all that it has to offer! $615,000.

Geothermal Cooling: Use the Earth for Home Comfort

More efficient than conventional systems? In winter, it uses the ground's heat instead of burning fossil fuels or using electricity to make heat. In summer, the ground acts as a natural condenser, replacing the electric condenser.The system is also more efficient because of the ground temperature. For instance, in the summer a conventional unit transfers hot air from the home to the hot air outside.Geothermal cooling reverses the system to transfer the hot air to the cold ground. The cold ground is better at absorbing the heat than the hot outside air.To think of it another way, when you jump into a cold lake on a hot day you lose body heat much faster than if you are standing on the shore.As a bonus, the geothermal cooling system transfers to the home's water pipes, giving customers free hot water.The Energy Department estimates that it cuts electric bills by 25 to 50 percent. Energy savings in Florida can reach 80 percent. If it works so well, why isn't everybody doing it? The short answer: the initial cost. A geothermal heating and cooling system costs up to three times as much as a conventional heating and air-conditioning system. In these tough times, it's hard to talk a homeowner into parting with that kind of cash.Andy Bednarz, a pilot, recently installed a geothermal heat pump at his new lakeside property in Lutz. He got a $9,000 estimate for a conventional four-ton system but decided to spend $23,000 on a geothermal system. His old 2,000-square-foot house had power bills from $265 to $350 a month. His new 2,359-square-foot-house has power bills of about $150 a month."It seems like a big bite, and I don't like to give away money by any means, but I did some higher math, and this should pay for itself in six years," Bednarz said. The typical payback time is four to six years. The systems are quieter and last 25 to 30 years, two to three times longer than conventional systems. Replacement costs are comparable because the drilling only need be done once. Demand for geothermal cooling is growing and Florida has been on the leading edge of the growth. The state is home to one of the best-known heat pump manufacturers, and it is among the top five states for installing geothermal heat pumps, and is also in the top five for exporting them to other states.

Source: Digtheheat