Making Austin Texas Home

Making Austin Texas Home and Qualifying for Mortgage

Gustan Cho Associates are mortgage brokers licensed in 48 states

This article is about making Austin, Texas home.

The housing market and economy in Austin, Texas is booming:

  • Families and businesses are migrating to Austin
  • The landscape of Austin, Texas
  • Making Austin, Texas home
  • Documents required to qualify for a mortgage in Texas

The housing market in Austin, Texas has been booming for the past several years. There is no sign of any housing market correction.

Why Families and Businesses are Migrating to Austin, Texas

Well, the secret is out! Austin, Texas is THE place to be.

I always knew it myself, but word has definitely gotten around. Although I wasn’t born here, I do consider myself a native.

My dad was in the military. When I was a little younger than 2 years old, he was transferred here and was stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base, which is now Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA).

My younger brother is, however, a native Austinite, as is my daughter. Every once in a while, I think about moving somewhere new. But honestly, I can’t think of another place I’d love more than Austin and its surrounding areas.

Austin Texas Skyline And Architecture

The Austin skyline is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

The Austin skyline is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

To me, it illustrates growth, openness, and innovation. No two buildings are the same, and nestled within historic architecture are some of the most sophisticated modern structures.

Diversity is key to Austin. This city has changed so much! It has grown up, quite literally before my eyes. Austin has become a place that embraces a multitude of interests and lifestyles.

Making Austin Home: Lifestyle.

Austin: The Capital of Texas

Being the capital of Texas, Austin offers a wide array of opportunities to learn and explore:

Examples include such as the Blanton Museum of Art and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Outdoor activities are a huge part of the Austin culture, and some of the favorite places include Zilker Park, Zilker Botanical Gardens, Barton Springs, and Mount Bonnell.

The Texas hill country is known for its wineries, and with the closest one being less than an hour’s drive, tours and wine-tasting classes have become a regular activity on the calendar.

Annual Events In Austin Texas

Some of the bigger events the Austin area has to boast of include SXSW, ACL, the Circuits of the Americas, Round Rock Express baseball, and the Texas Stars hockey team.

If you’re looking for something a little less crowded and perhaps a slower pace, Austin is home to over 1,900 bands and performing artists. Bands regularly perform at any number of local venues located in Austin, and in surrounding areas.

Making Austin Texas Home With The Hottest Market Around

The Austin Metro area is one of the hottest housing markets in the county right now!

The Austin Metro area is one of the hottest housing markets in the county right now!

Two of the most popular counties include Travis County and Williamson County. Over the past year, the Austin Board of Realtors (ABOR) has noted that Travis County home prices have jumped 7.8% with the median home price being $339,500 as of April 2021.

Williamson County home prices continued to rise as well. ABOR data shows that homes in this area now have a median price of $355,000, representing a 2% price increase from April 2020 to April 2021.

Here’s where things get really interesting!

ABOR data shows the average number of days a listing will spend on the market is 45 days! Keep in mind….

  • that’s only the average

Short Time On Market

A better than average home in a highly desirable area typically means fewer days on the market:

A less than desirable home will usually spend more days on the market. For instance, my current home is located in a highly desirable area of Williamson County.

I’m located in a neighborhood that is in close proximity to a middle school and high school in a very popular school district. The house located next door to me hit the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) on a Thursday and went under contract the following Thursday.

Sold in less than a week! The listing price was $353,000.

Getting Prepared to Make Austin Texas Home

So, what does this mean for you as a prospective homebuyer?

Plain and simple, you better be prepared!

When you finally decide to begin your home search, you really need to have your REALTOR. Homebuyers need a real estate agent who will show homes. The buyer should be in touch with a lender and has obtained a Pre-Approval letter.

The reason for this is two-fold. First, if you’ve taken the time and all of the necessary steps to acquire a Pre-Approval letter, then you are a serious home buyer.

In this market, REALTORS don’t have time to spend with tire-kickers. Most won’t begin showing you properties until you have that letter. Secondly, when you find the home of your dreams, you need to be prepared to act upon it immediately.

The days of saying, “Well, we just want to go home and think about it” are over. Not to say that you can’t still do that, but just be prepared for someone else to get an offer submitted and possibly accepted before yours.

I know REALTORS who have literally sat in the driveway with their clients to generate and submit an offer to the seller/listing agent before ever pulling out of the driveway.

Setting the Wheels in Motion to Make Austin Home

How to get a loan in Texas

First, you will want to contact a loan officer, and just like with any other working relationship, I encourage you to find one you feel completely comfortable with.

  • You will be sharing ALL of your personal information with this person, so it’s imperative that you find someone you trust and can be completely open and honest with

Let’s be honest…life happens, whether it be a divorce, medical issues, employment challenges…

  • sometimes we encounter times or periods in our life when our credit can encounter some bruising

These will be conversations you will need to be able to have openly with your mortgage loan officer, find someone you can connect with and will feel comfortable sharing your story with.

Documents Required To Start Mortgage Process In Texas

Documentation is a huge component of the mortgage loan process. Again, being prepared will be key in allowing the process to move forward efficiently, and will greatly work in your favor. In completing your mortgage loan application, you will need to provide certain documents to support and substantiate the information on your application.

Documents:

  • 30-days pay stubs
  • 2 years W2’s
  • Copy of current Drivers License
  • Copy of Social Security Card
  • 2 months of bank statements
  • Verification of Rent
  • Documentation verifying the source of down payment (401K, Gift, Gift Letter, Proceeds from the sale of a previous home, etc.)
  • Certificate of VA eligibility (if applicable)

If Austin isn’t on your radar, it certainly should be. The best resources to refer to for additional information are the Austin Chamber of Commerce and for the current housing market and trends, visit the Austin Board of Realtors

About the Author of Making Austin Texas Home

The author of Making Austin Texas Home is Dora Ali a senior loan officer and contributing associate editor and writer for Gustan Cho Associates Mortgage and Real Estate Information Center Website.

Borrowers can qualify for an FHA loan with a 3.5% down payment. This holds true as long as you have a 580 FICO credit score. Most lenders may require a higher credit score due to their overlays on credit scores. However, with no FHA Lender Overlays, Gustan Cho Associates will just go off the automated findings of the Automated Underwriting System. We do loans also in Houston Texas as well with no overlays and loan programs including va, fha, usda and non-qm loans.

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