Buda property taxes can contribute a significant amount to your monthly mortgage payment. Budgeting for property taxes can be difficult because there are two variables: property tax rate and assessed value of the property. Both can change from year to year. The property tax rate varies from neighborhood to neighborhood, so there is no set […]
Buying a Home in Austin
Considering buying a home in Austin? Check out our home buyer tips, multiple offer strategies, how-to guides, home buyer mistakes and more in our Austin Home Buyer Blog.
Don't miss our Austin Home Buyer section, our Austin Neighborhood Guides and our Guide to Relocating to Austin for more insider home buying tips!
What are the Average Property Taxes in Austin?
Buyers who want to budget their monthly housing payment frequently ask how much property taxes are in Austin. The short answer is property taxes vary based on several factors, so it is hard to say they are a certain percentage in the Austin metro area. School district, utility district, hospital districts and whether or not […]
Using Price Per Square Foot When Determining Home Value
Attempting to measure a home’s true market value using a price per square foot calculation is more often confusing, misleading and quite possibly deceptive. Using price per square foot as a valuation tool is a little like predicting the local high and low temperatures by using a national weather temperature averages. But, even with its […]
Austin Neighborhoods with the Lowest Property Tax Rates
If you’re new to Austin, the property tax rate can be an adjustment. While it is true we don’t have state income tax, we do have higher than average property taxes, usually 1.6-3.4% of the assessed value. With this much of a swing, the property tax rate can make a huge difference to your monthly […]
How to Research an Austin Neighborhood
When you’re looking to buy a new home, you’ll want to gather as much information about a particular neighborhood as possible. The more you can learn about the neighborhood before you buy, the higher the likelihood you’ll enjoy living there for longer. We’ve put together a guide to help you research Austin area neighborhoods. Here […]
Top 9 Locational Flaws that Affect Austin Home Values
We often say the best time to think about selling an Austin home is before you buy it. We spend a tremendous amount of time with our buyer clients evaluating an Austin home they’re interested in purchasing. We want them to know exactly what they’re getting into, especially if the home is going to be […]
Who Pays the Buyer’s Agent’s Commission in Austin?
It is a common myth among first time home buyers that they have to pay a buyer’s agent’s commission or that if they work with the listing agent, they will not have to pay a buyer’s agent’s commission. Here we’ll help explain how commissions work and answer the common question, who pays the buyer’s agent’s […]
5 Most Expensive First Time Home Buyer Mistakes
Let’s agree, buying a home can be emotional, unnerving and bewilderingly complex; avoiding the most expensive first time home buyer mistakes will make it less so. Here you’ll find the five most expensive mistakes Austin first time home buyers make and some tips for how to avoid making them in your home search. Mistake #1: […]
What is a Seller Looking for in a Multiple Offer Situation?
As we head into the busy Spring home buying season in Austin, we’re starting to see more multiple offers. As the season progresses, I would expect to see more. Buyers who want to eliminate the frustration of losing a home to another buyer need a carefully thought out multiple offer strategy. To be successful, the […]
What are Closing Costs and Who Pays Them in Austin?
Whether you are selling or buying a home, apartment building or vacant land, there will be closing costs associated with the transaction. That is, money due over and above the cost of the property. Closing costs are fees or charges imposed by certain 3rd parties – entities other than the buyer and seller – who […]