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 payment tier costs monthly, including PMI.
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Mortgage Austin Journal
Smart, straight answers for Austin buyers & homeowners
Rates, programs, and local market moves, explained without the jargon.
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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Texas Homestead Exemption Now $140,000: What to File in Austin
Texas voters raised the homestead exemption to $140,000 for school taxes. Here is what Austin owners save, how to file…
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Divorce and the House in Austin: How a Buyout Actually Works
One spouse keeps the house, the other gets paid for their share. Here is how a divorce home buyout works…
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Texas Small-Lot Laws and Austin Starter Homes: A Buyer’s Guide
Texas's small-lot law is bringing lower-priced starter homes to the Austin metro. Here is what changed, where the homes are,…
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Buying a Home in Georgetown: What Austin Buyers Should Know
Georgetown draws Austin buyers with newer homes and real negotiating room. Here are the 2026 prices, taxes, and loan numbers…
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Buying a Home With Your Parents in Austin: How Co-Borrowing Works
Adding a parent to your mortgage can turn a declined file into an approval. How co-borrowing works in Austin, whose…
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Appraisal Waivers in Austin: Who Gets One and When to Want One
Appraisal waivers let some Austin buyers skip a $600 fee and close faster. Who qualifies in 2026, how lenders decide,…
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2-1 Buydown or Discount Points in Austin: Which Fits Your Deal?
A 2-1 buydown and discount points both lower your payment in different ways. Compare real costs on a typical Austin…
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5 HELOC Myths Austin Homeowners Still Believe in 2026
Texas HELOC rules surprise a lot of Austin homeowners. These five myths cover borrowing caps, rate risk, and when a…
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HomeReady vs. Conventional 97 in Austin: Two Ways to Put 3% Down
Two conventional programs let Austin buyers put 3% down, but they fit different situations. Compare HomeReady and Conventional 97 on…
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Gift Money for a Down Payment: 7 Mistakes Austin Buyers Make
Family gift money can cover part or all of an Austin down payment. These seven documentation and timing mistakes are…
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Under Contract in Austin: The 30-Day Path from Offer to Keys
From executed contract to keys in hand: the option period, appraisal, underwriting, and closing deadlines that shape a 30-day Austin…
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ARM vs. Fixed in Austin in 2026: Who Should Even Consider an ARM?
Adjustable-rate mortgages are back on Austin buyers' radar. Here is a plain-language framework for deciding whether an ARM or a…
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Flood Insurance in Austin: What It Adds to Your Payment
A buyer falls for a house near Onion Creek, then learns it sits in Zone AE. What flood insurance costs…
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Austin Mortgage Pre-Approval Checklist: What to Have Ready
A practical mortgage pre-approval checklist for Austin buyers: the documents lenders want, credit prep, budget math at current rates, and…
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Selling an Inherited House in Austin: What Probate Actually Requires
When a homeowner dies in Texas, the house does not quietly pass to the family. It enters a legal process…
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Refinancing in Austin: 7 Questions Homeowners Ask First
Seven questions Austin homeowners ask before refinancing: what it costs, when the math works, Texas cash-out rules, PMI removal, and…
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House Hacking Myths Austin Buyers Should Stop Believing
You do not need an investor loan or 25 percent down to buy a duplex in Austin. Six house hacking…
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