I get some version of the same question a few times a year from buyers who’ve just driven through Cottonwood Shores for the first time: is this town actually on the lake, or is it just close to it? It’s a fair question, and it’s one people get wrong more often than you’d think, usually […]
Living in Burnet, TX: County Seat Life Near the Highland Lakes
A good chunk of the calls I get about Burnet start from the same wrong assumption: people hear “Highland Lakes” and picture a town with docks and a shoreline, the same way Kingsland or Horseshoe Bay work. Burnet isn’t that. It sits back from the water, and once buyers understand why, it usually becomes the […]
Living in Pflugerville, TX: A Local Broker’s Guide to the Suburb North of Austin
I’ve sold houses on both sides of Pflugerville, the older streets near downtown and the newer sections off Pecan and Weiss, and I still get buyers who ask me to spell it for them. It’s a German name, and the town has German roots that go back to the 1850s, but what strikes people once […]
Best Tips: How to Prepare for a Home Appraisal
When a lender orders an appraisal, the appraiser’s notebook becomes the story of your home. A tidy space, clear paperwork, and easy access can lift that story enough to meet or beat your asking price. Below are the essential items to line up before the appraiser walks in. Table of Contents Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker […]
How Does a Home Appraisal Work? A Texas Guide
Wondering what actually happens when a lender orders a home appraisal? The short answer: an independent appraiser visits, measures, compares, and writes a report that the lender uses to decide how much it will lend. In this guide I walk you through the whole process, from who orders the appraisal to what you can do […]
Living in Lago Vista, TX: Life on the Lake Travis Peninsula
I’ve shown property in Lago Vista in every season of the year, and the question I get asked in the truck on the way out there is almost always the same one: is this too far? People hear “lake town on a peninsula” and picture something remote, then they drive out RM 1431 for the […]
Living in Jonestown, TX: Life on the Quiet North Shore of Lake Travis
I get calls from buyers who found Jonestown on a map and want to know why it’s not on their radar sooner. Usually it’s the same story: they’ve been looking in Lakeway or Cedar Park, prices there make them wince, and then somebody mentions there’s a whole other lake town on the north shore of […]
Living in Driftwood, TX: Ranch Land, Wineries, and Hill Country Space Southwest of Austin
I’ve had buyers stand on a piece of land in Driftwood and ask me if the survey is wrong, because they can’t believe how much space is actually included. It isn’t wrong. That’s just Driftwood. If your reference point for Hays County is a standard subdivision lot, this part of the county resets your expectations, […]
Living in Manor, TX: A Farming Town Turned Growth Corridor East of Austin
I’ve written offers in Manor for buyers who got outbid three times in Mueller and finally found a house they could actually afford here. I’ve also sat across the table from sellers who bought a lot here five years ago for what felt like a gamble and watched their subdivision fill in around them. Manor […]
Living in Kingsland, TX: Life at the Confluence of Two Rivers on Lake LBJ
I get a version of the same phone call a few times a year: someone who fell in love with the Highland Lakes on a weekend trip, priced out Horseshoe Bay or Marble Falls, and asked whether there’s anywhere left out here that still feels like the lake country their grandparents talked about. My answer […]
Living in Highland Haven, TX: A Quiet Lake LBJ Community Near Marble Falls
I’ve shown property in Highland Haven a handful of times over the years, and every single time the buyer’s reaction on the drive in has been some version of “wait, this is it?” That’s not a knock. It’s the whole point of the place. Highland Haven is one of the smallest, quietest towns I work […]
Austin Home Prices in 2026: What Buyers Need to Know
Austin’s market feels calmer, but the numbers still surprise many. Below you’ll find the latest 2026 prices, how they differ by area, why those gaps exist, and what you can do with the data. For broader context on inventory, rates, and demand, review the Austin real estate market outlook alongside these home-price figures. Table of […]
Living in Granite Shoals, TX: Life on the Quiet Side of Lake LBJ
I get calls every few months from buyers who’ve driven through Granite Shoals on their way to Marble Falls, seen the lake glinting through the trees off FM 1431, and asked me why nobody talks about this place. Fair question. It sits right next to Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay, two towns that get all […]
Capital Gains on Rental Property: Tax Guide
Got a rental property you’re thinking of selling? The tax side can feel like a maze, but I’ll walk you through the key pieces so you know what to expect. Below is a clear, step‑by‑step look at capital gains, depreciation recapture, and the few tricks that can save you money. Table of Contents How Capital […]
Best Austin Homes for Sale: 10 Areas to Explore
Looking for a place to call home in Austin? I’ve helped dozens of families find the right spot, and I know the market can feel like a maze. Below are ten neighborhoods that consistently show strong value, good schools, and a vibe that matches many lifestyles. Let’s jump right in. Table of Contents Robbie English, […]
How Apartment Locator Services Work in Austin, TX
I get asked about apartment locators fairly often, usually from someone moving to Austin who found five different locator websites in a Google search and isn’t sure what the catch is. There isn’t really a catch, but there is a business model worth understanding before you hand over your contact information and your search criteria. […]
Building an ADU (Granny Flat) in Austin: What to Know
An Accessory Dwelling Unit, sometimes called a granny flat, backyard cottage, or garage apartment, is a smaller residential unit built on the same lot as an existing single-family home. The City of Austin’s official definition describes it as a small dwelling on the same grounds as, and ancillary to, a single-family home. It can be […]
Escalation Clause in Real Estate: How It Works and What It Risks
An escalation clause can help a buyer compete without offering the absolute top price on day one. But in Texas, the wrong clause can expose you to a price you never meant to pay. I’m Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker at Uncommon Realty, and this is written for buyers and sellers in the Greater Austin area. […]
Buying a Home Near Samsung’s Taylor, TX Fab | Local Guide
If you’re relocating to Central Texas for Samsung’s new chip fab in Taylor, you’ve probably already noticed there’s not a lot of practical, boots-on-the-ground advice out there about where to actually live. Most of what you’ll find online is either a press release about the plant itself or a real estate listing with no context. […]
Buying Your First Home in Austin: Taxes, Assistance, and Closing
Austin’s housing market runs on rules that don’t always match what a first-time buyer expects from a “national” homebuying checklist. Texas has no state income tax, so property tax carries more weight here than in most states, and it works differently once you actually own a home instead of renting one. The city itself is […]
Buying an Investment Property in Austin: A Landlord’s Guide
Every year a handful of my buyers aren’t looking for a place to live. They’re looking for a property that will pay them back. That’s a different transaction than buying a home for yourself, starting with how the loan gets underwritten and continuing all the way through to the day a tenant calls about a […]
How to Tell If It’s a Buyer’s Market (Using Austin’s Numbers)
People throw around the term “buyer’s market” a lot, usually without saying what it actually means. It’s not a vibe. It’s a handful of numbers you can check for any city, any month: how much inventory is sitting on the market, how long homes take to sell, which way prices are trending, and how much […]
How a Quarter-Point Rate Change Affects Your Mortgage Payment
Every time mortgage rates move, buyers ask the same question: does this actually change what I can afford, or is it just a headline? It depends entirely on how much the rate moved and how large a loan you’re carrying, but the math behind it is simple enough that you can run it yourself for […]
Why Overpricing Your Home Backfires (And How to Price It Right)
Most sellers who overprice aren’t trying to be unreasonable. They figure a high number leaves room to negotiate down, or they want to see if a buyer will just pay it. What actually happens is different: the buyers who would have made a real offer never show up, because they never click on the listing […]
Is Now a Good Time to Buy in Austin? What Moves Affordability
Is now a good time to buy in Austin? It doesn’t come down to the season or a headline about “the market.” It comes down to three things that move independently of each other: mortgage rates, home prices, and how fast local wages are growing. Understanding how those three interact tells you more than any […]
How the 10-Year Treasury Yield Predicts Mortgage Rate Moves
Mortgage rates and the 10-year Treasury yield move together because they’re pricing the same thing: what investors demand to lend money over a long time horizon. If you want a better read on where mortgage rates are headed than a daily rate headline gives you, the 10-year yield is the number to watch. I’m Robbie […]
Homeowners Insurance in Austin: What Buyers Should Know
Every buyer I work with in the Austin area eventually asks some version of the same question: why is my insurance quote so much higher than what a friend in another state is paying? It usually comes up right after their lender orders a quote during underwriting, and the number catches people off guard. Central […]
How to Vet a Realtor Before You List Your Home
Most sellers interview one agent, maybe two, and pick whoever they liked best in the meeting. That’s not enough information to base a decision on. The agent you choose controls your price strategy, your marketing, and how many headaches you deal with between now and closing. A short list of pointed questions in that first […]
Low-Cost Home Improvements That Actually Recoup Their Cost at Resale
You don’t need a full renovation budget to move the needle on what your home is worth. Every year, Remodeling magazine’s Cost vs. Value report and the National Association of Realtors’ Remodeling Impact report track which projects actually recoup their cost at resale, and the answer is usually the same: small, visible, well-maintained details beat […]
Multigenerational Home Buying in Austin: What Actually Works
More families in Austin are buying one house instead of two. It usually isn’t a lifestyle choice made in the abstract — it’s adult kids and parents looking at the math, realizing two mortgages don’t pencil out the way one combined purchase does, and deciding to live under the same roof on purpose instead of […]
