Robbie English, Broker and REALTOR

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Is Northwest Hills A Good Area To Downsize In Austin TX

January 13, 2026 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Is Northwest Hills A Good Area To Downsize?

TLDR (Too Long; Didn’t Read): Is Northwest Hills A Good Area To Downsize In Austin TX Northwest Hills sits inside Austin city limits and Austin ISD, so property taxes run close to the standard combined rate of about $2.05 per $100 of assessed value, with no added Municipal Utility District tax layer Price per square […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing

Is Rollingwood popular with empty nesters?

December 27, 2025 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Is Rollingwood popular with empty nesters

Is Rollingwood popular with empty nesters is a question I hear more often than y’all might expect, and it points to a shift happening across Austin TX. Folks who have lived through several seasons of life begin to crave something different, something easier, something quieter but still close to the heart of the city. I […]

Filed Under: Austin Area Housing Market, Austin Real Estate, blog, Downsizing, Luxury Real Estate

Can I Downsize in Northwest Hills And Stay Central?

December 26, 2025 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Can I Downsize in Northwest Hills And Stay Central?

TLDR (Too Long; Didn’t Read): Can I Downsize in Northwest Hills And Stay Central? Most Northwest Hills homes are 1960s to 1980s ranch construction on generous lots, averaging around 2,200 to 2,700 square feet, so the neighborhood’s core single-family stock skews larger, not smaller Genuine smaller-footprint inventory inside Northwest Hills itself is mainly condos and […]

Filed Under: Austin Real Estate, blog, Downsizing, Home Buying

Organizing and Decluttering Before Selling a House

October 13, 2025 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Organizing and Decluttering Before Selling a House

Selling your home can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. One of the most powerful and overlooked steps in preparing your property for the market is organizing and decluttering before selling a house. This process does more than just make your space look neat-it transforms the way buyers feel the moment they walk […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, Home Improvements, Home Staging and Depersonalization, Homeownership, Selling Your Home, Selling Your Luxury Home

The Hidden Cost of Convenience: How Opendoor Strips Away Your Home’s True Value

October 12, 2025 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

The Hidden Cost of Convenience: How Opendoor Strips Away Your Home’s True Value

When it comes to selling a home, convenience sounds appealing. The idea of skipping showings, avoiding open houses, and sealing the deal online feels modern and effortless. Yet this illusion hides the true math behind the so-called convenience. The reality is painful for sellers. The average seller loses $82,000 when selling to Opendoor. That is […]

Filed Under: blog, Distressed Homeowners, Downsizing, Real Estate, Selling Your Home

Downsizing Without Debt

September 16, 2025 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Downsizing Without Debt

If you’ve ever imagined what life might look like with fewer expenses, more simplicity, and absolutely no monthly housing payment, then the idea of downsizing without debt should have your attention. It’s more than a catchy phrase. It’s a real and attainable strategy for homeowners who have spent years building equity and now want to […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing

Does Your Current Home Fit Your Retirement Plans?

August 23, 2025 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Does Your Current Home Fit Your Retirement Plans?

Retirement is not simply a chapter you arrive at, it is the stage where the years of working, saving, and striving begin to pay off in meaningful ways. It is the time when you finally take control of your days, choose what matters most to you, and design a life that reflects the freedom you […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing

Why Moving to a Smaller Home After Retirement Makes Life Easier

July 23, 2025 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Why Moving to a Smaller Home After Retirement Makes Life Easier

Retirement should be a season of life where you get to enjoy the rewards of your hard work. It is about freedom, not pressure. Yet many people enter this stage still tied down by a house that is too big, too expensive, and too demanding. That is why moving to a smaller home after retirement […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, Selling Your Home, Selling Your Luxury Home

Selling Your Home to Downsize: A Comprehensive Guide for Austin Homeowners

October 3, 2024 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Selling Your Home to Downsize: A Comprehensive Guide for Austin Homeowners

As life changes, so do our housing needs. Whether you’re approaching retirement, looking to reduce your home maintenance responsibilities, or simply seeking a more manageable space, downsizing can be an empowering and strategic decision.  I am Robbie English, REALTOR and Managing Broker at Uncommon Realty and I would love to dive in deeper to this […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, GBP, Selling Your Home, Selling Your Luxury Home Tagged With: Real Estate Advice

The Benefits of Downsizing: Tiny Home Living in Texas

April 29, 2024 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

The Benefits of Downsizing: Tiny Home Living in Texas

Tiny home living in Texas is genuinely appealing for the right person, but the biggest obstacle isn’t the lifestyle adjustment, it’s zoning. I’m Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker with Uncommon Realty, and here’s the practical reality most tiny home content skips. The Regulatory Reality Most Guides Skip “Tiny house” isn’t a formal legal category in Texas. […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, GBP Tagged With: Real Estate Advice

Making the Right Move: Exploring Downsizing Options for Retirement

April 16, 2024 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Making the Right Move: Exploring Downsizing Options for Retirement

Are you weighing your living options as retirement draws closer? You’re not alone. For many, the future feels wide open—exciting, maybe a little overwhelming. One of the most powerful steps you can take during this key life phase is to explore downsizing options for retirement. Whether you’re aiming for less upkeep, fewer expenses, or a […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, GBP, Selling Your Home, Selling Your Luxury Home Tagged With: Real Estate Advice

Unlocking the Potential of Auxiliary Dwelling Units for Aging Parents

March 31, 2024 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Unlocking the Potential of Auxiliary Dwelling Units for Aging Parents

Let’s talk about a growing trend that’s both practical and deeply personal: building auxiliary dwelling units for aging parents. Whether you’ve been considering the idea for months or just recently started exploring it, there’s a lot to unpack—and a lot of potential to find. These secondary residences, often lovingly referred to as granny pads, serve […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, GBP, Homeownership, Lifestyle, Multi-Generational Housing Tagged With: Real Estate Advice

Streamlining Your Space | Baby Boomers Guide to Downsizing

March 9, 2024 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Streamlining Your Space | Baby Boomers Guide to Downsizing

Marie Kondo said, “in the end, the space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.” Marie Kondo, if you do not know who she is, is a professional organizer and has been featured on television and has written several books […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, GBP, Home Buying, Selling Your Home Tagged With: Real Estate Advice

Downsizing Before Retirement: Finding Your Perfect Next Step

February 8, 2024 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Downsizing before Retirement: Finding Your Perfect Next Step

If you’re staring down the next phase of life and asking yourself what to do with your current home, downsizing for retirement might be the smartest decision you’ll ever make. Let’s face it—retirement is about more than stepping away from work. It’s about stepping into a new rhythm. A new pace. A new way of […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, GBP Tagged With: Real Estate Advice

Boomer Impact: Anticipating Changes in the Local Housing Market

December 5, 2023 by Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker, ABR, AHWD, BBA, C2EX, CRB, E-PRO, GRI, MRP, PSA, RENE, RPR, SFR, SRS, TAHS, TBS, TLS

Boomer Impact: Anticipating Changes in the Local Housing Market

The boomer impact on real estate isn’t just a theory. It’s unfolding right now, changing how buyers and sellers approach the market. As the baby boomer generation enters new chapters of their lives, the ripple effect is being felt across neighborhoods, home designs, and investment trends. If you’re wondering how this will influence your next […]

Filed Under: blog, Downsizing, GBP, Trends Tagged With: Real Estate Advice

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Absentee Owners • Austin Area Housing Market • Austin Real Estate • Austin Landlord Service • Build to Rent • Building A Home •  Cedar Park • Compensation • Distressed Homeowners • Downsizing • Financially Motivated • Find Your Place • First Time Home Buyers • For Sale By Owner • Greater Austin Housing Market • Green-Energy Efficiency • Homeowners Associations • Home Buying • Home Improvements • Home Pricing • Home Staging and Depersonalization • Home Values • Homeownership • Interest Rates • Investment and Vacation Rentals • Leander • Lifestyle • Living in Austin • Living in Cedar Park • Living in Central Texas • Living in San Antonio • Luxury Real Estate • Market Updates • Mortgage Financing • Moving to Austin • Moving to San Antonio • Moving to Texas • Multi-Generational Housing • My Advanced Education •  Negotiations • Off-Market Representation • Preparing for Closing • Probate and Estate Sales • Property Taxes • Real Estate • Refinancing Your Mortgage • Renting and Leasing •  Representation •  San Antonio Housing Market • San Antonio Real Estate • Selling Your Home • Selling Your Luxury Home • Short Term Rentals • Supply and Demand • Texas Property Management •  Trends

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Blog Posts

Your Trusted Real Estate Partner: I'm Here to Stay

Your Trusted Real Estate Partner: I’m Here to Stay

The Main Benefits of Hiring A Property Manager

The Main Benefits of Hiring A Property Manager

The Long-Term Consequences of a Build-to-Rent Housing Market

The Long-Term Consequences of a Build-to-Rent Housing Market

Temporary rate buydown costs and risks in Austin Texas

Temporary Rate Buydown: Costs and Risks

Barton Creek vs. Spanish Oaks: Which Austin Community Fits You?

Barton Creek vs. Spanish Oaks: Which Austin Community Fits You?

The Pros and Cons of a Homeowners Association: What You Need to Know

Pros and Cons of a Homeowners Association

Texas property tax bill with MUD line item.

Understanding MUD Taxes in Texas

Robbie English, REALTOR, Broker

512-910-HOME (4663)

512-400-3082

830-953-5571

Uncommon Realty

Main Office:
5114 Balcones Woods Dr. Ste 307, Austin, TX 78759

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Common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden. That’s why we’re Uncommon!

I look forward to representing you! -Robbie

Robbie English Texas Real Estate Education Expert     Unlock MLS  Austin Board of REALTORS  Texas REALTORS  National Association of REALTORS  Highland Lakes Association of REALTORS

Find Homes For Sale in: Austin TX • Bee Cave TX • Burnet TX • Cedar Park TX • Cottonwood Shores, TX • Georgetown TX • Granite Shoals TX •  Highland Haven • Highland Lakes • Horseshoe Bay, TX • Hutto TX • Jonestown TX • Lago Vista TX • Lakeway TX • Leander TX • Marble Falls, TX • Manor TX • Pflugerville TX • Round Rock TX

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