Austin, TX – Ready to buy a home in the Austin-area? Understanding what you are looking for in a home before you begin the search gives you a leg up when entering Austin’s hot housing market. There are many variables to consider when purchasing a home that is just right for your situation. Between budget, location, and the all-important must-haves, planning out your wish list will give you the ability to act quickly as soon as you see your dream home hit the mark. After reading our guide, you will be prepared to begin your home search.
Know Your Price Range
Knowing your price range is a vital part of beginning your home search. Have confidence in your ability to win an offer by getting pre-approved by a home lender. It’s recommended you have a pre-approval letter before reaching out to a REALTOR® but it’s not required. Not ready to get lenders involved? Use Realty Austin’s Home Payment Calculator found on each listing page. Adjust your down payment amount to see how much your monthly payments will be.
Determine Your Location
The more strict you are about living in a specific location, the fewer options you have when house hunting. If you are flexible with your location, it’s good to explore multiple areas of town that fit your lifestyle. Use Realty Austin’s map tool to draw an outline of the areas you are most interested in and let the smart technology do the sorting for you.
What’s Your Home Style?
Austin has a home fit for just about anyone. Whether you’re looking for a condo on town lake or a ranch in the hill country, you can narrow your home options by property type. Once you are set on a property type, dig deeper into what you like regarding architecture and layout.
Property types include:
Home Features To Consider
There are dozens of features to consider when purchasing a home you will love. Make a note of all the features that are important to you. Filter through homes for sale in Austin by selecting your top features on realtyaustin.com. The more filters you choose, the more limited your options are.
Features to consider include:
Home Size
Property Features
Home Features
Determine Your Wants vs Needs
Now that you have considered price, location, and home features, create a list of your Wants vs. Needs. For example, two bathrooms, a house on the lake, and a boat dock could be a Need, while a fireplace could be a Want. Keep in mind that whatever must-haves or desires you have on your list, you have the potential to add features to the property after purchase.
Share your must-have and desires list with your REALTOR®! No matter what you are looking for, Realty Austin Agents can help you find it. Realty Austin has over 550 top local agents that average 10+ years of experience. With a Realty Austin Agent, you can rest assured that you are in the hands of a professional with a network of connections and expanded knowledge of the local market.
Get Started On Your Home Search!
Set up a personal home buying profile on RealtyAustin.com to see all Austin homes for sale. Create collections of your favorite homes, request info on a listing, schedule showings, and save your search to get notified the moment your dream home hits the market.