Tips for Selling a House in Texas

, Mar 7, 2022

A “For Sale” sign is posted out in front of a single-family home with a freshly cut lawn.

If you’re thinking about selling your home, there are several considerations you’ll want to make as you begin the journey. From deciding how you want to sell your home to negotiating the selling price, this article will cover all aspects of the process to help support you along the way.

Decide How You Want To Sell

Once you have decided to sell your Austin home, you should consider how to do it. You typically have two basic choices; you can opt to sell yourself, or hire a real estate agent.

For Sale By Owner

Selling your house privately without the help of a real estate agent could save you money in agent commission. To successfully sell your house without a real estate agent, you will need to know all about how to sell a house in Texas. You will need to:

  • Prepare the property for sale
  • Decide on the selling price
  • Prepare your advertising, including photographs
  • List your property
  • Be available for viewings
  • Know how to negotiate a deal
  • Make sure you have a lawyer to process any sale

Despite its money-saving potential, the risks can outweigh the benefits when selling your property without a real estate agent. There are many pitfalls, including miscalculating the selling price and being over-involved with the selling process. You may save on your own real estate agent commission, but you may still have to pay a commission to your purchaser’s agent.

Hire a Real Estate Agent

Real estate agents are experts in their field, making the selling process easier for the owner. They take care of the legal process and you can be sure that everything is done by the book. Real estate agents know market trends, so they can handle the pricing, advertising, and negotiations for you. They know how to present your property in the best light. The commission price is offset by having an expert on board, which gives you peace of mind.

Real estate agents have wider areas to advertise. If you build a relationship with your agent, they will get to know you and what you want out of the market, and will be in the best place to sell your property. As you engage with them, they already have prospective buyers in mind, and can often proceed quickly.

Expect To Sell Fast

Houses in Austin, Texas are in demand, so you can expect your Austin home to sell fast. The Austin real estate market continues to boom, and the city remains one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S.

This is mainly because giant names in the tech industry such as Google, Apple, Tesla, Indeed, and Dropbox have expanded their operations in Austin, yet houses here remain affordable compared to other cities. Additionally, the overall tax burden in Texas is relatively low compared to other states.

More and more people are choosing to move to Austin, so it is currently a seller’s market. This is a perfect time to put your property up for sale.

Steps to Selling a House

Consider the following steps to make sure you have all your bases covered.

Research Current Market Trends

Whether you plan to sell your house yourself or hire a real estate agent, it’s always good to research the current market trends. A strong economy can increase the value of your property and dips in economic growth can mean a fall in prices. Market trends affect how you price your property, and your real estate agent will be helpful in this matter.

The Right Price

Since the market trend is variable, there are some factors that you or your real estate agent should consider in setting the price of your house. Set your expectations to a reasonable level. If you price your house too low to sell fast, the profit will be low. If it’s too high, you might put off potential buyers.

Observe the housing market in your area, starting from your state, down to counties and cities to determine the actual value of your property.

Even though Texas is a non-disclosure state, you may be able to discover how much properties sell for and compare the rate at which they were originally listed.

Consider Curb Appeal

What potential buyers think about your house is very important. Selling your house “as is” in Texas is your choice, but you should adjust your pricing to the condition of your home. A “fixer-upper” will attract purchasers who are prepared to invest in renovations, but most buyers are looking for a house that they will be comfortable moving into without undergoing renovations first. However you choose to sell, consider doing minor renovations and decluttering before putting your house on the market.

Curb appeal is vital to get buyers into your home to see its potential. Consider giving the front of your home a little attention in order to help get people in the door. It doesn’t have to be show-home quality — in fact, if your home looks like the most expensive house on the block, buyers may not be drawn to it — but the outside of your home should be welcoming and tidy to generate interest.

Highlight Surrounding Areas and Activities

One of the most important factors that will add to your house’s market value is nearby attractions. Are you near a good school or other facilities that will appeal to different types of families? You may also recognize that being near the University of Texas and several museums is a selling point.

Although a real estate agent will also have this information, it’s helpful if you’re familiar with it too. There is a high chance of closing a deal if the owner knows the strengths and advantages of the property.

Don’t Settle for the First Offer

Accepting the first offer is not the best way to deal with business, especially in selling your home, and there are strategic reasons why.

First, reject the first offer if it’s lower than the initial listing price. This approach indicates that your house is worth what it’s listed for. Don’t be afraid to negotiate; let your prospective purchaser make another offer. It’s a good way to assess whether they are truly interested.

Second, if you aren’t in a hurry, chances are high that you will receive better offers later on. When you receive multiple offers, analyze them carefully. You can also do a background check if a specific buyer has available funds or pre-approval from the lending company and other important matters. This will help you select the right buyer and avoid problems in the process.

If you have several buyers who are seriously interested, you can arrange a bidding process. The highest bidder gets the house and you will get a higher price for your home.

About the Author

Last updated: 04/13/2023

2300+ Client reviews!

Tara McGuire recently sold our house in Circle C and did an amazing job. She is so easy to work with, knowledgable, and responsive. I believe she got us top $$. Highly recommend working with Tara and her team at Bramlett! Their service was all inclusive with staging, marketing, etc. No nickel and diming. Just great service.

It was pleasure working with Tammy Costello from Bramlett Residential Real Estate in finding our home. We could not have imagined the process to be as seamless and easy as it was! As first-time home buyers, Tammy walked us through the process and guided us through each step. She is meticulous, has great communication and negotiation skills. With her help and years of experience, we were able to find our dream home. Thanks for making it so easy, Tammy!

I had the pleasure of working with Vicki Duran and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From the very beginning, Vicki demonstrated deep knowledge of the market and a genuine commitment to understanding my needs. Her communication was exceptional – always prompt, clear, and informative. Throughout the process, Vicki went above and beyond, negotiating on my behalf, explaining the process/each step along the way, and ensuring every detail was taken care of. Her professionalism, dedication, and personalized approach was exceptional. She truly cared and I felt like I was working with a close family friend (having never met her before the process began). I can’t emphasis enough how seamless she made the process for me. People have the perception that buying a house is an extremely stressful process. My experience could not have been farther from the truth. I joked with her at times how smooth/easy buying a house was, all because of Vicki!

I could not have asked for a better agent. I’ve already referred a few friends to Vicki and will continue to do so in the future. Thanks again, Vicki!

Blessed to have connected with Kristen! I can’t say enough great things about Kristen. Her professionalism, market knowledge, and communication were beyond compare. She was incredibly patient throughout our home search. We looked at a countless amount of homes (we are very picky), and never once felt she was trying to push us in to something that wasn’t the right fit for the sake of a sale. We always felt she had our best interest in mind. Couldn’t recommend her more!!!

Sally was referred to me via a business network when I first moved to Austin in 2022. She helped me understand the area, evaluate my options, and find the perfect spot in a tough market. Sally has been a joy to work with because she creates partnerships + friendships with her clients!

I was impressed by Sally’s expertise in selling both my investment property and my primary residence, and in helping us buy our dream home. At our initial meeting, we found Sally knew the real estate market, but found even more impressive her emotional quotient in understanding and navigating the differences between my partner’s and my very different personalities. For my investment property, she timed the showings and sale perfectly and created a helpful Excel spreadsheet comparing the many offers. She was also savvy enough to suggest we pay the tenants a fair amount of money to make the property available for viewing from 9am – 5pm on the first weekend to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to get through, and we let her deal directly with the tenants because we could tell her people skills would serve us well

We got multiple offers by the deadline on Monday afternoon with one outlier that was $150K higher than what we had unsuccessfully listed the property for (with a different realtor) a year earlier!

When it came to selling my primary home, Sally’s expertise in the luxury market, and in historic homes in particular, truly shone. She understood that selling a high-end property, with various restrictions, required a different approach. Sally crafted a listing for the home that perfectly captured its unique character and premier location. Her marketing strategy was well timed and appropriate for the more limited market, attracting the right buyer pool and creating a sense of exclusivity around the property. She suggested listing it on the private market for a week or two before sending a message that it would be listed on the MLS. She organized private showings that allowed buyers to experience the warmth and charm of the home and the neighborhood, which I believe was instrumental in securing a sale.

The pricing and marketing strategy Sally recommended was spot-on, and we sold the home at a price that far exceeded our expectations. Sally helped thread the needle perfectly.

Sally is also accessible. We found more well-known realtors would respond to our email days later, whereas she was always available right away to answer my questions, and provided us with regular updates, making sure every detail was handled with care. Selling a high-end property can be a stressful experience with fewer potential buyers and some downtime inherent in waiting for the right buyer, but Sally made it a smooth and surprisingly easy process encouraging us to be patient while giving us enough information on what was happening to satisfy both me and my partner. In the end, we were thrilled with the results

Sally’s rep of us as sellers could not have been more professional, but her work repping us as buyers is the most memorable. We were trying to be our dream home in an overheated market, and Sally gave us advice that at each turn proved invaluable. She recommended offering just the right amount above the offer price for us to make it to the next round of offers. She handled a very difficult appraisal process by advising us on financing sources, even offering to help us put down a higher amount by loaning us money herself! We were able to finance the home without taking her up on that offer, but how many realtors make that kind of offer to their clients? In the end, we closed on the house ontime and ended up with the home of our dreams, thanks to Sally’s world-class advice and service.

We cannot say enough good things about Sally’s technical knowledge, people skills, and responsiveness. You won’t find a better realtor in Austin.

I have lived here in Austin for more twenty-five years, and have bought and sold several homes and rented others during those years. I have worked with five realtors during that time. SALLY IS BY FAR THE BEST OF ANY IN TOWN. Her work ethic is simply unmatched. She hides her competitive streak underneath a layer of Austin hip and friendly, but she will absolutely get you the best home, the best deal, and stop at NOTHING to get your home sold as well!

Sally loves real estate. She has a genuine passion for Austin, too, and for her client’s well-being. She took time to understand my needs and was always available to answer any questions and provide me with honest and insightful advice.

We toured many homes in Barton Hills and settled on a great home that was hotly contested by builders and homeowners. Sally understood how we could be the preferred buyer without getting into a bidding war. She knew the motivations of the Seller and we maneuvered and negotiated the contract and secured my dream home.

Furthermore, at the 11th hour, the day before we were set to close, our lender said we needed to put a fence around the pool before they would release the funds. The seller was not inclined to extend the closing again. We were out of town. Sally saved the day by racing to Home Depot and getting the largest tarpaulin available and then securing it over the pool at the house. Sent pics to the lender and we were set to close.

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Sally is incredible! She spent nearly 2 years with us – understanding our very specific preferences and needs – to help us find our dream home. She was the first agent to reach out when the home was listed and negotiated the contract astutely so that we secured the home. The home was only in the framed stage, still had a few months until completion. Once it was completed, however, our plans had changed and we needed to get out of the contract. We were expecting to have to relinquish our very considerable deposit. But Sally spent the entire weekend working on a way to get us out of the contract AND get our deposit back. Everyone we have spoken to about this extraordinary outcome has been surprised that Sally managed to get our deposit back for us. Thank you Sally, we can’t recommend her highly enough.

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I highly recommend Kiel if you’re looking to rent a place in Austin. We originally met him to look around a particular unit, and when it was not to our satisfaction, he was able to quickly take us around many more units that day. He also set up a whole day of viewings for the very next day! Within 48 hours we had done enough viewings to be confident in choosing a new home. The landlord accepted our offer and Kiel handled all of the paperwork, even stopping by our hotel to pick up the needed checks. We couldn’t be happier.
Kiel is highly organized and unlike some realtors in the Austin area, he is responsive and ready to move quickly. We were always able to contact him and never left waiting.

Kiel has your BACK!! We are so grateful to have had his guidance and knowledge while navigating the intense, frustrating and way competitive Austin rental market. He quickly picked up on our taste and designed a game plan to help us push through the clutter and get to the properties that best suited us. He was ALWAYS available to us and answered our emails, calls and texts with great speed. We’re so grateful to have had him on our search team. Because my goodness, it really is a crazy market out there!

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