Your Austin Home Insurance Renewal Spiked: What to Do Next
Your rate never moved, but your payment did. How an Austin home insurance renewal hits your escrow account, and the four choices you have when the notice arrives.
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Mortgage Austin Journal
Smart, straight answers for Austin buyers & homeowners
Rates, programs, and local market moves, explained without the jargon.
Seller Concessions in a Buyer’s Austin Market: What to Ask For
Austin sellers are conceding in 2026. Here are the caps by loan type, and what $10,000 buys as a price…
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Mistakes That Can Break Your Austin Mortgage Rate Lock
A rate lock can still be re-priced. Here is what breaks a mortgage rate lock between contract and closing in…
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VA Entitlement in Austin: Sell, Restore, or Buy With What’s Left
Already used your VA loan? Here is how entitlement restoration, bonus entitlement, and the subsequent-use funding fee work for Austin…
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What FHA Mortgage Insurance Really Costs in Austin (2026 Math)
FHA mortgage insurance in 2026 adds 1.75% upfront and about $184 a month on a median Austin home. Here is…
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Manufactured Homes and ADUs in Austin: 2026 Financing Rules
SB 785 requires Texas cities to allow new HUD-code manufactured homes in at least one residential district. Here is what…
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Jumbo Loan Myths in Austin: What Buyers Over $832,750 Miss
Over the conforming limit in Austin? Maybe not. Five jumbo loan myths, the 2026 numbers behind them, and the structures…
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Stacking TSAHC DPA With an FHA Loan in Austin: A Worked Example
A worked example of TSAHC down payment assistance stacked with an FHA loan at Austin's median price: assistance amounts, cash…
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Austin Builder Incentives in a Buyer’s Market: The Fine Print
Builder incentives look generous in Austin's 2026 buyer's market. The fine print decides what they are actually worth. Six mistakes…
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Short-Term Rental Financing Near Austin: The Down Payment Math
Buying an Airbnb near Austin? Down payment tiers, rental income rules, reserves, and a worked example at today's median price,…
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Contingent Offers in Austin’s Buyer’s Market: When They Work
Austin's 5.9 months of supply gives contingent buyers real negotiating room. When sellers say yes, how kick-out clauses work, and…
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Renting vs. Buying in Austin in 2026: Where Break-Even Lands
Austin rents have fallen while ownership costs stay high. Here are the real monthly numbers at the $435,000 median and…
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New Texas Buyer-Agent Rules: What Austin Buyers Sign in 2026
Texas now requires a written buyer agreement before an agent shows you a home. Here is a 7-point checklist for…
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Buying a Home in Austin With Student Loans: 2026 Lender Math
Student loans do not have to block an Austin home purchase. Walk through one buyer's 2026 numbers and see how…
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Credit Score Mistakes Austin Buyers Make Before Applying
From financing a car to closing old cards, these credit score mistakes cost Austin buyers real money. What to avoid…
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How HOA Fees Change What You Qualify For in Austin
HOA dues count like a debt in your qualification math. See what Austin condo fees run in 2026, what each…
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The 28/36 Rule vs. Real DTI Limits: What Austin Lenders Allow
The 28/36 rule shows up in every affordability guide, but Austin lenders approve DTI well above it. Here is what…
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3, 5, 10, or 20 Percent Down in Austin: What Each Choice Costs
At Austin's $435,000 median price, 3 percent down is $13,050 and 20 percent is $87,000. Here is what each down…
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Austin Is a Top-25 City for First-Time Buyers: What That Misses
WalletHub ranked Austin a top-25 large city for first-time buyers in 2026. The ranking misses the payment math, property taxes,…
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