Austin, Texas

Buying a Home in Austin, One Box at a Time

Budgets, Texas property tax, HOAs, inspections and closing, unpacked in the order you will need them.

Most Austin purchases start with a budget and end with a homestead application, and Texas adds its own forms in between. A local real estate agent can show you what is for sale; these guides explain the rules, taxes and deadlines that decide what a home will really cost you.

Every number here comes from the office that sets it: Travis County’s tax rates, the Texas Real Estate Commission, the Texas Department of Insurance and the City of Austin. Local resources for new residents cover schools and services; the boxes below cover the purchase itself.

Cost to own

What Will This House Cost You a Year?

Pick a price, a city and a school district and see an estimated tax statement, the title premium and whether down payment help is worth a look.

Sale priceDown payment, %CitySchool districtIn the Austin Community College districtI will live here (homestead)Age 65 or olderFirst-time buyer

Travis County · estimated 2025 tax statementCost to own

Taxing unit	Rate per $100	Taxable value	Tax
Total a year

Owner’s title policy, basic premium

City of Austin down payment help

TSAHC down payment help

Texas Property Tax for Austin Homeowners →The Texas Homestead Exemption →Closing Costs in Texas →Down Payment Assistance for Austin Buyers →

Estimates only, from Travis County’s 2025 rates, Tax Code 11.13 and TDI’s 2026 title rates. See Texas Property Tax for Austin Homeowners: Rates, Deadlines and Protests for how the bill works.

The guides

Unpack the Purchase, Box by Box

Three stacks: before you buy, the costs and taxes, and the help and protection Texas gives buyers. Boxes you have opened get stamped.

Stack 1Before You BuyThe steps in order, renting versus buying, areas by budget and the big northern suburbs.

Box 01Step by stepBuying a Home in Austin, Step by StepThe whole Austin purchase in order: budget with real local costs, the written agreement Texas now requires before a showing, the offer and option period, inspection, the lender’s disclosures, title and closing, then the homestead filing.5 min read Box 02Rent or buyRent vs. Buy in AustinWhat renting and owning cost per month in Austin and its suburbs, according to the Census Bureau, why Texas property tax changes the math, and the costs on each side that a simple comparison leaves out.4 min read Box 03Areas by budgetAustin-Area Neighborhoods by BudgetCensus median home values for Austin and the cities around it, grouped into price bands, with the property tax and school district differences that change what a budget really buys.4 min read Box 04SuburbsRound Rock, Cedar Park or Pflugerville? Comparing Austin’s Big Northern SuburbsThe three largest suburbs north of Austin side by side: Census figures on prices, monthly costs, rents and growth, their city tax rates, and what to check about school districts and utility districts before you buy.4 min read

Stack 2Costs & TaxesTexas property tax, the homestead exemption, HOAs and what closing costs.

Box 05Property taxTexas Property Tax for Austin HomeownersHow property tax works for an Austin home: the taxing units on the bill and their 2025 rates, the January 1 appraisal, the May 15 protest deadline, when bills are due, and how to estimate the tax on a home you are considering.4 min read Box 06HomesteadThe Texas Homestead ExemptionThe general residence homestead exemption in Texas law: the $140,000 school exemption, local percentage exemptions, the 10 percent appraisal cap, the over-65 benefits, and how and when a new Austin owner applies to the Travis Central Appraisal District.4 min read Box 07HOA rulesHOAs in Austin NeighborhoodsWhat a Texas property owners’ association can and cannot do, from the membership notice and resale certificate a buyer receives to payment plans, enforcement notices and the rules the state limits, such as solar panels and flags.4 min read Box 08Closing costsClosing Costs in TexasThe costs a buyer pays to close on a Texas home: state-regulated title insurance with worked examples from the 2026 rate schedule, lender charges, escrow deposits, and the federal timing rules for the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure.4 min read

Stack 3Help & ProtectionDown payment help, inspections, flood zones and the written agreement with your agent.

Box 09Down payment helpDown Payment Assistance for Austin BuyersTwo public sources of down payment help for Austin-area buyers: the City of Austin’s program of up to $40,000 for income-eligible first-time buyers inside the city, and the state-created TSAHC’s assistance of up to 5 percent with its loans, plus what each requires.4 min read Box 10InspectionsHome Inspections in TexasHow a home inspection fits into a Texas purchase: the three inspector license types, the insurance and conflict-of-interest rules in the Occupations Code, timing the inspection inside your option period, and what to do with the report.4 min read Box 11Flood zonesFlood Zones and Home Buying in AustinHow to check flood risk on an Austin home before you buy: the City’s floodplain maps and what Atlas 14 changed, the flood questions in the Texas seller’s disclosure, drainage easements, and the 30-day wait for flood insurance that does not apply at a loan closing.4 min read Box 12Buyer’s agentWorking With a Buyer’s Agent in TexasWhat Texas law now requires before an agent shows you a home: the Information About Brokerage Services notice, the written agreement under Occupations Code 1101.563, what it must say about services, term and negotiable compensation, and how open houses and intermediary arrangements work.4 min read

Moving checklist

Five Things to Tick Off Before You Make an Offer

If you are new to Austin or new to buying, these are the steps that save the most money and stress.

Budget with the real tax rate
A home in the City of Austin and Austin ISD paid about $2.05 per $100 of value in 2025 across five taxing units, before exemptions. On the Census median Austin value of $555,300 that is roughly $11,364 a year. Use the Cost-to-own check above or read Texas Property Tax for Austin Homeowners: Rates, Deadlines and Protests.
Line up down payment help first
The City of Austin offers up to $40,000 to income-eligible first-time buyers inside the city, for homes priced up to $440,000, and TSAHC offers up to 5% with its loans. Both require homebuyer education and participating lenders. See Down Payment Assistance for Austin Buyers: City and State Programs.
Sign the agent agreement with your eyes open
Since January 1, 2026, a Texas agent needs a written agreement with you before showing a home, and it must say that broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. See Working With a Buyer’s Agent in Texas: The 2026 Written Agreement Rules.
Buy an option period and use it
Texas has no automatic cooling-off period. The option fee buys you the right to terminate for any reason during the option period, if it reaches the escrow agent within three days. Inspect, read the seller’s disclosure and check the flood map inside that window. See Home Inspections in Texas: Licensed Inspectors, the Option Period and Repairs.
File for the homestead exemption
It is not automatic. A buyer who closes after January 1 can claim it for the rest of the year if the seller did not have it, and must apply before the first anniversary of the purchase. See The Texas Homestead Exemption: How Austin Buyers Claim It and What It Saves.

Notes on the fridge

Questions Austin Buyers Ask

Short answers, each from the law or the office that sets the rule.

How much is property tax on an Austin home?

For a home in the City of Austin and Austin ISD, the 2025 rates of the five main taxing units add up to 2.046485 per $100 of value before exemptions, according to Travis County. See Texas Property Tax for Austin Homeowners: Rates, Deadlines and Protests.

How big is the homestead exemption?

School districts must exempt $140,000 of a residence homestead’s appraised value under Tax Code 11.13(b), plus $60,000 more for owners 65 or older or disabled. Any taxing unit may add up to 20%. See The Texas Homestead Exemption: How Austin Buyers Claim It and What It Saves.

Can my taxable value jump every year?

Not on a homestead. After the first year you qualify, Tax Code 23.23 limits the appraised value increase to 10% a year plus new improvements.

When is the deadline to protest my appraisal?

May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal district mails your notice, whichever is later. TCAD takes protests online.

Do I need a written agreement with an agent?

Yes. Since January 1, 2026, Occupations Code 1101.563 requires one before an agent shows you a home or presents an offer. Showing-only agreements must be non-exclusive and last no more than 14 days. See Working With a Buyer’s Agent in Texas: The 2026 Written Agreement Rules.

Is title insurance cheaper at some companies?

No. Texas regulates the premium, so every title company charges the same basic premium. Under the 2026 schedule, a $400,000 owner’s policy is $2,262. See Closing Costs in Texas: Title Insurance, Lender Fees and What to Expect.

How long does an HOA have to send the resale certificate?

Ten business days after a proper written request, under Property Code 207.003. See HOAs in Austin Neighborhoods: What Texas Law Says Before You Buy.

Can I get flood insurance right before closing?

Yes. When flood insurance is bought with a new loan and paid at or before closing, NFIP coverage starts at closing. Otherwise the usual wait is 30 days. See Flood Zones and Home Buying in Austin: Maps, Atlas 14 and Insurance Timing.