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How to Buy a House in Austin: The Home Buying Process Start to Finish

Steph and Jenn walk through the entire homebuying process in Austin, in order, from before you even start looking to your first month with keys in hand. The episode covers seven stages. First, setup: getting pre-approved (not just pre-qualified) and understanding what lenders check — credit, DTI, savings — plus current Austin close times (21–35 days from accepted offer). Second, the search: avoiding the "Zillow trap," sending listings to your agent, and reading comps before falling for a place. Third, the offer: drafting the contract, signing via Dotloop, and navigating multiple-offer situations. Fourth, option period and inspection: the option fee and earnest money due within 3 days, scheduling inspection fast, and how to handle repair negotiations. Fifth, the "quiet middle": appraisal, underwriting, and what not to do (new credit, job changes, big purchases) while your insurance and warranty decisions are due. Sixth, final walkthrough and closing: confirming repairs, closing costs and down payment, and getting the keys. Seventh, life after closing: joining the OHA network, first-30-days homeowner tasks (locks, address, homestead filing, pest control), and community resources.

Why Is That House Still for Sale? What Makes Austin Homes Sell Fast or Sit Forever

Some homes go under contract before you can even book a showing. Others sit for 60, 90, even 120 days and rack up price reductions. In this episode, Steph and Jenn break down exactly why — and what it means whether you're buying or selling in Austin right now. They dig into the real data behind Austin's split market (spoiler: active DOM and sold DOM are telling very different stories), walk through the top reasons homes sell fast versus sit, and explain the psychology buyers bring to a high-days-on-market listing. If you're thinking about selling, this one will tell you what actually moves a home — and what silently kills a listing.

Where to Live in Austin: Find Your Neighborhood

Choosing where to live in Austin is the single biggest decision a homebuyer makes — and lifestyle fit is the thing buyers underestimate most. In Episode 2 of Homeowner Hotline, Open House Austin broker Steph and founding realtor Jenn break down the best Austin neighborhoods for every lifestyle, pairing 9 distinct areas with 9 buyer personas so you can find the one that actually matches how you live day to day. You'll get an honest, no-fluff tour of South Congress and Travis Heights, Mueller, Barton Hills and 78704, Round Rock and Pflugerville, the Domain and North Burnet, Dripping Springs and Wimberley, Downtown and Rainey Street, East Austin, and Central Austin's Hyde Park, North Loop, Crestview, and Brentwood. For each neighborhood, Steph and Jenn paint the vibe, name the lifestyle it serves, share real local detail, and give a straight price reality check — including the tradeoffs nobody tells you about. Whether you're moving to Austin, upgrading from your first home, or finally buying after years of renting, this episode helps you answer the most important question before you ever tour a listing: where in Austin should you live? Stick around for a quick 5-question lifestyle quiz and details on Open House Austin's free buyer consultation.

How to Build a Real Estate Portfolio Without Tons of Cash

In this episode of Homeowner Hotline, Open House Austin's Steph (Broker & CEO) and Jenn Carey (Founding Realtor) break down BLRB — Buy, Live, Rent, Buy Again — the real estate wealth-building framework they've used personally and refined for the Austin market. Walking through each step, they explain how to buy a first property with intention (treating rentability, layout, and neighborhood trajectory as seriously as livability), how to leverage owner-occupant financing as an "unfair advantage," and how to make the mindset shift from "forever home" to launchpad asset. They go deep on the rent phase — comparing long-term rentals to short-term plays like Jenn's Wimberley Airbnb — and walk through the cash flow math, stress-testing, and pivot strategies clients need before flipping the switch. The "buy again" segment tackles the psychological barriers that stall most investors, how to use equity from Property 1 to fund Property 2, and a primer on 1031 exchanges and the primary-residence capital gains exclusion. Candid stories round it out: bad tenants, STR seasonality, Austin-specific insurance and property tax pressures, and the deals they'd do differently. Equal parts educational and conversational, with real client case studies (Olicia's San Marcos duplex, Jenn's Wimberley STR, the Laverty over-remodel) and a warm invitation to keep the conversation going at openhouseaustin.com.

How to Protest Property Taxes in Austin (2026 Guide)

Austin property taxes are one of the most confusing and expensive parts of homeownership in Texas. In Episode 1 of Homeowner Hotline, Open House Austin broker Steph and founding realtor Jenn sit down to demystify the whole process: how your home's appraised value is calculated, what a Texas homestead exemption actually does for your tax bill, why the 10% homestead cap is one of the biggest wins for long-term homeowners, and the exact steps to protest your property taxes with Travis County, Williamson County, or Hays County. Whether you just bought your first home in Austin, you've owned for years and never protested, or you're staring at your 2026 appraisal notice wondering "how did they get this number?" — this episode is your cheat sheet. Steph and Jenn walk through key deadlines (mid-March appraisal notices, the May 15 protest deadline, January 31 tax due date), what evidence actually wins a protest hearing, the most common mistakes Austin homeowners make, and whether to DIY or hire a property tax protest company. Plus: stick around for an invite to Comps & Cocktails, Open House Austin's upcoming event where Steph walks you through your home's value, your appraisal, and the protest process in person (yes, there are cocktails).