Every guide on the site, stacked by topic: before you buy, costs and taxes, and help and protection.
Stack 1Before You BuyThe steps in order, renting versus buying, areas by budget and the big northern suburbs.
Box 01Step by stepBuying a Home in Austin, Step by StepThe whole Austin purchase in order: budget with real local costs, the written agreement Texas now requires before a showing, the offer and option period, inspection, the lender’s disclosures, title and closing, then the homestead filing.5 min readBox 02Rent or buyRent vs. Buy in AustinWhat renting and owning cost per month in Austin and its suburbs, according to the Census Bureau, why Texas property tax changes the math, and the costs on each side that a simple comparison leaves out.4 min readBox 03Areas by budgetAustin-Area Neighborhoods by BudgetCensus median home values for Austin and the cities around it, grouped into price bands, with the property tax and school district differences that change what a budget really buys.4 min readBox 04SuburbsRound Rock, Cedar Park or Pflugerville? Comparing Austin’s Big Northern SuburbsThe three largest suburbs north of Austin side by side: Census figures on prices, monthly costs, rents and growth, their city tax rates, and what to check about school districts and utility districts before you buy.4 min read
Stack 2Costs & TaxesTexas property tax, the homestead exemption, HOAs and what closing costs.
Box 05Property taxTexas Property Tax for Austin HomeownersHow property tax works for an Austin home: the taxing units on the bill and their 2025 rates, the January 1 appraisal, the May 15 protest deadline, when bills are due, and how to estimate the tax on a home you are considering.4 min readBox 06HomesteadThe Texas Homestead ExemptionThe general residence homestead exemption in Texas law: the $140,000 school exemption, local percentage exemptions, the 10 percent appraisal cap, the over-65 benefits, and how and when a new Austin owner applies to the Travis Central Appraisal District.4 min readBox 07HOA rulesHOAs in Austin NeighborhoodsWhat a Texas property owners’ association can and cannot do, from the membership notice and resale certificate a buyer receives to payment plans, enforcement notices and the rules the state limits, such as solar panels and flags.4 min readBox 08Closing costsClosing Costs in TexasThe costs a buyer pays to close on a Texas home: state-regulated title insurance with worked examples from the 2026 rate schedule, lender charges, escrow deposits, and the federal timing rules for the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure.4 min read
Stack 3Help & ProtectionDown payment help, inspections, flood zones and the written agreement with your agent.
Box 09Down payment helpDown Payment Assistance for Austin BuyersTwo public sources of down payment help for Austin-area buyers: the City of Austin’s program of up to $40,000 for income-eligible first-time buyers inside the city, and the state-created TSAHC’s assistance of up to 5 percent with its loans, plus what each requires.4 min readBox 10InspectionsHome Inspections in TexasHow a home inspection fits into a Texas purchase: the three inspector license types, the insurance and conflict-of-interest rules in the Occupations Code, timing the inspection inside your option period, and what to do with the report.4 min readBox 11Flood zonesFlood Zones and Home Buying in AustinHow to check flood risk on an Austin home before you buy: the City’s floodplain maps and what Atlas 14 changed, the flood questions in the Texas seller’s disclosure, drainage easements, and the 30-day wait for flood insurance that does not apply at a loan closing.4 min readBox 12Buyer’s agentWorking With a Buyer’s Agent in TexasWhat Texas law now requires before an agent shows you a home: the Information About Brokerage Services notice, the written agreement under Occupations Code 1101.563, what it must say about services, term and negotiable compensation, and how open houses and intermediary arrangements work.4 min read