Questions people actually ask.
17 answers on down payments, Texas property tax, the option period and what changed for buyer representation. No hedging, and no asking for your email first.
How much do I need for a down payment?
Less than most people assume. VA has no minimum for eligible buyers, FHA’s agency minimum is 3.5%, and conventional programs start at 3% for qualifying first-time buyers. Those are agency guidelines rather than offers, and your own requirement depends on approval. Closing costs are usually the bigger line.
Should I talk to a lender or an agent first?
A lender. A pre-approval tells you the ceiling you are actually working with, and in most of Austin an offer without one does not get read. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
How long does buying take?
Three to four weeks from contract to closing on most files. What stretches it is rarely the lender — it is a slow appraisal, a title issue, or documents arriving in pieces. Getting everything in during week one is the single biggest thing you control.
Do I pay my agent?
Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer representation is negotiated in writing before you tour homes. We will show you exactly what our agreement says and what, if anything, the seller is offering, before you sign it.
Why are property taxes such a big deal here?
Texas has no state income tax and funds a great deal through property tax instead. Effective rates commonly run between 1.6% and 3.0% depending on your county, city, school district and any municipal utility district. On a typical Austin file that is a larger share of the monthly payment than most buyers plan for.
What is a homestead exemption?
A reduction in the taxable value of your primary residence, filed with your county appraisal district after closing. It also caps how fast your assessed value can rise. It is free, it is not automatic, and forgetting it is the most expensive small mistake a new Texas homeowner makes.
What is the option period?
A Texas contract feature: you pay a separate fee for a window in which you can inspect the property and walk away for any reason. Earnest money is different — it is held by the title company and credited back at closing. Knowing which is refundable, and by when, is most of the game.
Is a Texas cash-out refinance different?
Yes. The Texas Constitution places rules on home equity loans that most states do not, including a limit on how much of your home’s value you can borrow against and specific timing requirements. It is a real constraint, not a lender preference.
What is a MUD?
A municipal utility district — a taxing entity that funded the water, sewer and drainage for a development. It shows up as an extra line on your tax bill and can meaningfully change the monthly payment between two otherwise similar homes.
When should I list?
Austin inventory and days-on-market move seasonally, but the honest answer is that condition and price matter more than month. A well-prepared home priced correctly sells in a slow month; a rushed one sits in a fast one.
What should I fix before listing?
The things an inspector will find anyway — roof, HVAC, foundation, active leaks. Finding them first turns a mid-contract renegotiation into a disclosure you control.
Can my home go on your site before it hits Zillow?
Yes. Since March 2026 a listing can legitimately appear on the brokerage site before it syndicates, and your home shows on our public pages with no sign-in required — our own listings are not behind the account wall, precisely because Zillow still refuses listings that sat behind one. The wall applies to searching the rest of the market, which is data Unlock MLS licenses to us on that condition.
How is my list price set?
A comparative market analysis from someone who works the street: recent comparable sales, condition adjustments, and what is currently competing with you. Not an automated estimate trained on the whole country.
Who will I actually work with?
One licensed agent owns your transaction from the first conversation to the closing table, and you will have their direct number. The name on our team page is the name that answers.
Do you cover more than Austin?
Austin, Waco, Dallas–Fort Worth and northwest Texas. If you are relocating within the state you keep the same brokerage and the same standard.
Do I have to use your affiliated companies?
No, never. Sprout shares common ownership with a mortgage and a roofing company. If we refer you, you receive a written Affiliated Business Arrangement disclosure at the time, and using them is never a condition of anything.
Do I need an account to search?
No. The search is open. Gating listings would cost the syndication that puts homes in front of buyers, and it would mean trading your email for something you can get anywhere.
General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Program guidelines and Texas rules change; nothing here is a commitment, quote or offer.