Marble Falls’ fall calendar is genuinely crowded — Oktoberfest, LakeFest’s tail end, and this one, the Main Street Car Show, all land within a few weeks of each other. Here’s what the car show is, and why it’s stuck around for more than two decades. The Main Street Car Show has been a Marble Falls […]
Greater Austin Real Estate Blog: Expert Advice and Local Insights
Looking for straightforward, practical real estate advice for Austin and the surrounding area? Welcome to my Greater Austin Real Estate Blog.
I’m Robbie English, Broker, REALTOR. With more than 40 years of experience, I created this blog to help buyers, sellers, investors, and homeowners separate reliable guidance from outdated advice and real estate myths.
Here you’ll find practical buying and selling tips, neighborhood guides, Austin housing market insights, and plain-English explanations of contracts, inspections, appraisals, negotiations, and investing. You’ll also learn what makes communities throughout Greater Austin unique—so you can make informed decisions with confidence.
No clickbait, gimmicks, or sensational predictions—just honest answers to real questions. I hope you’ll bookmark the blog, explore the articles, and return whenever you need trusted Greater Austin real estate guidance.
Cash-out refinance in Texas: costs and rules
A cash-out refinance replaces your mortgage with a larger loan and pays the remaining proceeds to you after required payoffs and costs. I want you to compare the new payment and total borrowing cost before deciding. For a Texas homestead, state equity-loan rules also affect how much you can borrow and when you can close. […]
How to Price Your Home to Sell Fast in Austin
To price your Austin home for a timely sale, I start with relevant recent sales, competing listings and your property’s condition. There is no fixed discount that guarantees offers or a higher final price. My guide to pricing your home accurately explains how I put that evidence together. Table of Contents Step 1: Start With […]
Should Sellers Repair Pool Problems Before Listing?
A swimming pool can help a home stand out, but it can also become the part of the property buyers question the most when there are cracks, leaks, aging equipment, structural concerns, or a history of repairs. That leaves many sellers facing a difficult decision: should the pool be repaired before the home goes on […]
Your Guide to Oktoberfest in Marble Falls
Marble Falls’ fall calendar used to have a gap between LakeFest in early summer and the Walkway of Lights in December, and Oktoberfest is what’s filled it in. It’s one of the newer additions to the town’s event lineup, but it’s already become a genuine local favorite. Here’s what it is and what it’s like […]
What Earnest Money Means for Texas Home Buyers and How Much to Put Down
Earnest money is a deposit you agree to deliver under a home-purchase contract. Whether you get it back depends on the signed terms, your termination rights and the notices you deliver. I want you to check those details before choosing the amount or sending funds. Table of Contents What Is Earnest Money? How Much Earnest […]
How to Dodge First-Time Home Buyer Mistakes in Texas
Buying your first home in Texas means budgeting for more than the sale price. I want you to check the loan costs, property condition and contract deadlines before committing your cash. These steps explain what to review with your lender, inspector and real estate agent. Table of Contents Step 1: Set a Realistic Home‑Buying Budget […]
Your Guide to Fort Croghan Day
Most of Burnet’s festivals are about what the town is now — Fort Croghan Day is about what it was before it was a town at all. It’s one of the few events on the Highland Lakes calendar built around real, on-site history rather than a modern tradition, and it’s worth understanding on its own […]
How Does Escrow Work? A Texas Homebuyer Guide
Escrow sounds like one account, but Texas homebuyers usually deal with two. One holds your earnest money before closing. The other collects taxes and insurance after you buy. I’ll walk you through both, including who controls the funds, what you’ll pay, and what can change after closing. Table of Contents Step 1: Open Escrow and […]
Christmas in Marble Falls 2026: The Glory Tree and Small-Town Holiday Magic
With a new Glory Tree planned for Christmas in Marble Falls 2026, I have another reason to look forward to the holidays in a town I love. I’ve spent Christmas in the Texas Hill Country for decades, and there’s something about the holidays in a small town that never loses its magic. I think about […]
What Home Improvements Add Resale Value in Austin?
Thinking about a pre‑sale remodel? I’ve seen homeowners pour thousands into projects that barely move the needle on price. Below I break down the upgrades that actually lift resale value, the pitfalls to avoid, and how to decide if a project is worth the spend. Table of Contents Which Home Improvements Usually Add the Most […]
Texas Seller Disclosure for Pool Damage: What Sellers Need to Know
A swimming pool can be one of the most appealing features of a Texas home, but it can also become one of the most closely examined parts of the property when there have been cracks, leaks, structural movement, equipment failures, insurance claims, or prior repairs. The seller disclosure process is not the place to guess, […]
What to Expect at Home Closing
Closing day is usually quieter than buyers expect. The hard work happens before the signing table, especially in Texas, where most closing tasks fall to the buyer. I’m Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker at Uncommon Realty, and I’ll walk you through what happens, what to check, and when you can get the keys. Table of Contents […]
How Much House Can I Actually Afford? A Straight‑Forward Guide
Want to know the real price tag you can handle without stretching yourself thin? I’ll walk you through the exact calculations, the hidden costs, and the usable steps you need to take right now. Table of Contents What You Can Afford Is More Than a Lender’s Maximum How Income, Debts, and Monthly Expenses Shape Your […]
How to the Mortgage Preapproval Process in 4 Simple Steps
Most homebuyers think a mortgage pre‑approval is just one form, but the data shows it’s a 13‑step journey that can stall if you miss a document or slip on credit. I’ll walk you through the four moves that get you a solid pre‑approval letter and keep you on track for buying in Austin. Table of […]
Questions to Ask Before Buying a Home With a Pool
This article is designed as a practical checklist for buyers considering a home with a swimming pool. The goal is to identify potential issues before they become expensive surprises after closing. TLDR Ask about the pool’s age and repair history. Review inspection, engineering, and warranty records. Understand maintenance costs and equipment condition. Confirm insurance and […]
How to Choose a Real Estate Agent
Choosing a real estate agent can feel like sorting through a stack of nearly identical resumes. I’m Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, and I’ve spent over 40 years in real estate. The right choice comes down to a few clear checks: verify the agent’s work, test their local knowledge, ask how they communicate, and read the […]
Your Guide to the Kingsland House of Arts & Crafts Fall Show
AquaBoom gets all the attention when people talk about Kingsland, but the town has a quieter cultural side too, and the Kingsland House of Arts and Crafts is where it lives. Its fall show is a small, honest example of what a lake town looks like when it isn’t the Fourth of July. TLDR (Too […]
How to Remove PMI: A Step‑by‑Step Guide
Paying PMI feels like throwing money away. The good news is it’s not forever. Below is the exact process I use with my clients to drop private mortgage insurance and keep more cash in their pocket. Table of Contents Step 1: Confirm Whether You Have PMI or FHA Mortgage Insurance Step 2: Calculate Your Current […]
Living in Marble Falls, TX: Small-Town Walkability Meets Real Hill Country Lake Access
A version of this question comes up almost every time I’m working with someone new to the Highland Lakes: they’ve had lunch downtown, maybe walked out to the water at Lakeside Park, and they want to know if the town holds up once you’re not just visiting for the day. Marble Falls is the town […]
Austin Open Houses Today: A Practical Guide
Finding an open door in Austin is easy. Finding out whether the home is still available, when the tour starts, and what you’re actually seeing takes more care. I’m Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, and I’ll show you how I check today’s listings without treating an old post as a live schedule. Table of Contents What […]
How to Sell My House Fast in Austin, TX: Your Real Options
I get some version of this call a couple times a month. Someone needs to sell fast, maybe a job is pulling them out of state, maybe there’s a life change nobody plans for, and they want to know what “fast” actually looks like in Austin right now. So let’s talk about it straight, the […]
Your Guide to Fall Festivals in Llano County
Llano isn’t a town I work as often as Burnet, Marble Falls, or Kingsland, but it sits right along the Llano River just west of the Highland Lakes, and its fall calendar is genuinely worth knowing about if you’re looking anywhere on that side of the region. Here are the four traditions that make up […]
Living in Sunrise Beach Village, TX: Life in Lake LBJ’s Oldest No-Short-Term-Rental Town
I get asked about Sunrise Beach Village more than almost anywhere else on Lake LBJ, usually by people who’ve already ruled out Horseshoe Bay on price and want to know if there’s anywhere left on this lake that still feels like an actual small town instead of a subdivision with a lake view bolted on. […]
How to Buy Austin Condos for Sale
Finding the right condo in Austin can feel like a puzzle, especially when listings range from a few thousand dollars to half‑a‑million. I’ll walk you through the exact steps I use with my clients so you can move from searching to signing with confidence. Table of Contents Step 1: Define Your Austin Condo Budget and […]
Your Guide to Llano Hunters Appreciation Day
Llano calls itself the Deer Capital of Texas, and Hunters Appreciation Day is the one event that proves the town actually means it. If you’re weighing property anywhere near Llano, this is worth understanding before you assume November is a quiet month there. TLDR (Too Long; Didn’t Read): Your Guide to Llano Hunters Appreciation Day […]
Your Guide to MayFest in Marble Falls
Marble Falls is the town most of the Highland Lakes orbits around, and MayFest is a good reminder that it’s still a real town center, not just a shopping strip between lake towns. Here’s what it is, what happens, and what it means if you end up living close enough to walk to it. Mayfest […]
Living in Sherwood Shores, TX: Lake LBJ Access from a 1962 Ranch Subdivision
I get a version of the same conversation a few times a year with buyers who’ve spent a weekend out on Lake LBJ and don’t want to go home. They’ve usually already priced out Horseshoe Bay, or they’ve looked at the newer construction further down the shoreline and balked at what it costs to get […]
Your Guide to Taste Highland Lakes
Kingsland’s calendar has AquaBoom for the Fourth of July and a quiet local arts scene the rest of the year, but Taste Highland Lakes is the newer addition that’s given the town a genuine food-and-wine event of its own, separate from the lake entirely. Taste Highland Lakes is put together by the Kingsland/Lake LBJ Chamber […]
Should You Buy A House With Pool Damage?
A damaged swimming pool does not automatically make a home a bad purchase. It does mean the buyer needs better information before deciding whether the property is still worth pursuing. Some pool problems are manageable. A worn pump, failed heater, loose tile, or aging finish may be expensive but understandable. Other problems, such as structural […]
