One of the more puzzling pieces of the real estate process is actually part of the financing process: appraisals. Appraisals are without a doubt confusing, yet they are a key part of the mortgage loan underwriting process. As a home buyer, it’s important to have a basic understanding of their purpose and how they can […]
How to Effectively Negotiate Closing Costs in a Sellers Market
It’s no secret the Austin real estate market is booming. Buyers are having to make more concessions than sellers, and many buyers think sellers will make absolutely no concessions for them. In practice, it is not as one sided as you might think. Though we are still in a seller’s market, buyers are still able […]
How to Choose a Lender When Buying a Home
The best practice for choosing a lender when buying a home in Austin is a bit counterintuitive. Most buyers start their search by checking mortgage rates at different banks or lending institutions and choose the lender who posts the best rates online. Though rates are a piece of the puzzle (and a large piece considering […]
Should I Buy a Home with a Foundation Problem?
Foundation problems are not uncommon in Central Texas. Our clay soil expands or contracts as the moisture content in the soil changes throughout the year. The expansion and contraction of the soil can place disproportionate stresses on the foundation causing it settle. Settlement in one area may not be the same in other areas, thus […]
What to Expect at the Design Center
As we are starting to see builders go back to allowing buyers to pick a lot and build a home from scratch, I thought we should revisit this post describing the process of selecting finishes at the design center. When you buy a new home, there’s a lot of decisions to be made. While you […]
How to Determine Whether it is a Seller’s Market or Buyer’s Market
We often hear the term seller’s market or buyer’s market but it may not always be clear how agents determine what type of market we are currently experiencing. Here, we’ll show you how to determine whether it is a seller’s market or buyer’s market and what metrics agents use to distinguish between the two types […]
Advantages of Buying a Home During the Holidays
The next 6 weeks presents a golden opportunity for those serious Austin home buyers looking for an advantage. While most people are busy planning, preparing and coping with the demands of the Holiday Season, determined home buyers can take advantage of other people’s pre-occupation. What are some of the advantages of buying a home during […]
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 […]
Is the Austin Real Estate Market Slowing?
We’ve been seeing a lot of changes to the Austin housing market over the past 3 months. Interest rates that were promising to go up finally did. Central Texas county assessors increased assessed values more than they have in years past, drastically increasing property taxes. Homeowners insurance rates have also sharply increased. Combine those factors […]
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 […]