Let's talk numbers.
Buying a Home in Austin & Central Texas
Most buyers do not need more listings. They need someone who can tell them what a house is actually worth, what the inspection report really means, and whether the neighborhood holds up in five years. That is the job. I do it for veterans, military families, and first-time buyers across 25 Central Texas cities.
Start where you are.
Which One Sounds Like You?
The process is the same. The starting point is not.
First call to keys.
The Homebuying Process
Seven steps. 30 to 45 days once we are under contract, faster when a report date forces it.
01
The first call
Our first conversation isn't about selling you a house. It's about understanding your goals so we can build the right strategy together. Five questions:
- At the end of this process, what would need to happen for you to look back and say, "We made the right decision"?
- What is driving your decision to move?
- What does your ideal timeline look like?
- What concerns you most about buying a home?
- When we find the right home, what will tell you it's the right one?
02
Pre-approval
A real pre-approval from a lender who closes VA loans regularly, not a rate quote off a website. This is what makes your offer credible to a seller.
03
Narrow the map
Cities, school zoning, commute, tax rate, and MUD or PID before we look at a single house. Choosing the area is the decision you cannot undo later.
04
Showings
In person or by live video if you are out of state. I tell you what I see, including the things that will cost you money later. You will hear the honest version.
05
The offer
Price backed by comparable sales, plus the terms that actually win in Texas. Option period, closing date, seller contribution toward your costs, and financing terms written to protect you.
06
Option period and appraisal
Inspection, repair negotiation, and the appraisal. This is where deals fall apart and where an agent earns the fee. I attend the inspection on your behalf if you are not in town.
07
Closing and keys
Final walkthrough, closing disclosure reviewed line by line, and remote closing by notary or power of attorney if you cannot be at the table.
Supporting you after the process ends.
Contractors, tax protest deadlines, homestead exemption, and the question you will have next spring. Closing is not the end of the relationship.
The difference.
Experience That Changes the Strategy
21 Years in Uniform
I've PCS'd. I know what a report date does to a family because I've lived it. Military life doesn't need to be explained here. Report dates, DD-214s, Certificates of Eligibility, and disability ratings are already part of the conversation.
VA loans are the default here, not the exception
VA financing isn't treated like a special case. Strong VA offers are written to compete, and common objections are addressed before they become obstacles.
One point of contact from start to finish
The person you meet on day one is the same person at your showings, inspection, negotiations, and closing. Your transaction isn't handed off to someone you've never met.
Pricing backed by data
Comparable sales, current market conditions, and the home's strengths and weaknesses are reviewed together. If a home is overpriced, you'll know why before deciding whether it's the right fit.
Jeanette Spain
21-year Air Force veteran. 14 years Real Estate Investor. Certified Military Relocation Professional.
Money out of pocket.
What You Pay Before Closing
Buying is cheaper up front than most people expect on a VA loan. Here is what comes out of pocket before closing.
Option fee
This buys you an unrestricted right to terminate the contract, typically for 7 to 10 days. Due to the title company within three days of going under contract. The seller keeps this fee either way. It's credited back to you at closing if you move forward, it's the seller's to keep if you walk.
$200 to $500
Earnest money
Good faith money. It shows the seller you are serious enough to put cash behind your offer, which is what convinces them to stop marketing the house. Due to the title company within three days of going under contract, and applied to your closing costs. You get it back if you terminate during the option period or if a contract contingency is not met.
1% of sales price
Home inspections
Paid directly to the inspector, scheduled early in the option period so there is time to negotiate repairs. A general home inspection is standard. Add WDI (termite), septic, pool, foundation, roof, or new construction phase inspections when the property calls for it. This is the best money you will spend, because it is what tells you whether to move forward at all.
$450 to $1,000
VA appraisal
Ordered through your lender and assigned to a VA-approved appraiser, not one the lender picks. The VA sets the fee by state and county, so there is nothing to negotiate. It confirms the home is worth what you agreed to pay and meets minimum property requirements, which protects you from overpaying.
$650 to $850
Down payment
Nothing down on a VA loan with full entitlement, and no monthly mortgage insurance either. Saving a down payment is what keeps most buyers renting for years longer than they need to. That barrier is gone for you. You earned this one.
$0
Out of pocket before closing day
Typical for a VA purchase in Central Texas. Ranges are estimates, not a quote.
$1,000 to $2,000
Due at the table, and what comes off it.
Closing Costs and Credits
These are rolled into one wire to the title company. Your option fee and earnest money are credited back against this total, and seller contributions (credits) come off the top.
VA funding fee
First use with no down payment. Financed into the loan rather than paid in cash, and waived entirely if you have a service-connected disability rating.
2.15%
Lender and title fees
Origination, title policy, survey, recording, and escrow fees. The VA caps what a lender can charge you, which is a protection most buyers do not have.
2% to 3%
Prepaid taxes and insurance
Your first year of homeowners insurance paid up front, plus a few months of property taxes collected into escrow. In Texas this is usually the largest line at closing, because there is no state income tax and the state funds itself through property taxes instead. If you have a 100% VA disability rating, you are EXEMPT from Texas property taxes entirely, which removes this line and lowers your monthly payment for as long as you own the home as your primary residence.
3 to 12 months
Seller contribution — a credit to you
A seller can pay unlimited standard closing costs, meaning title insurance, escrow, recording, and normal loan fees. Concessions beyond that, such as paying your funding fee, prepaying taxes and insurance, or funding a rate buydown, are capped at 4% of the appraised value. Negotiating both is where I move real money back to your side of the table.
4% cap
Estimated closing costs
Of the purchase price, before any seller contribution. You will see exact figures on your closing disclosure three days before signing, and I go through it with you line by line. Not a quote or a loan estimate.
3% to 5%
