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Hablo españolI work with people who have equity in a home or savings sitting still, and want it working for them instead of sitting still. I own and operate investment property in the Austin area myself, and I spent years in accounting and finance before real estate, including as a Senior Auditor at PwC.
Sound familiar?
None of these people would call themselves investors. All of them are sitting on an opportunity.
You are relocating, maybe back home, and selling the house feels final. Renting it out could keep the door open, if the numbers work from far away.
Money that just became real, and the question of what to do with it. Real estate is one option worth comparing, with your CPA at the table.
A house rented by the year might do better as a furnished rental, short or mid-term. Or it might not. It depends on the rules, the HOA and the street.
The first house has equity and a low rate. Selling it may not be the best move, and keeping it may not be either. It is worth running both.
What you could buy
Furnished, booked by the night. The most work and the most rules (city licensing, HOA limits, hotel occupancy tax) and, when it is done right, the most income. How short-term rentals work in Austin.
A tenant on a one-year lease. Simpler to run, steadier income, and the easiest place for a first investment.
Two to four units on one property. If you live in one, you may qualify for an owner-occupied loan with a smaller down payment, and the other units help pay the mortgage.
A main home plus a separate unit you can rent. Rules for these units change by city, so I check them for the specific address.
How I look at a deal
This is the order I go in. If a property fails one, we stop there and save you the inspection fee.
City rules, the HOA documents and any deed restrictions. A property that cannot be rented the way you plan is not a deal at any price.
The full tax rate including any MUD, insurance for a rental, HOA dues, utilities, repairs and a reserve for the things that break.
What similar homes nearby actually rent for, and how many nights or months they sit empty. I use the bottom quarter of the market, not the average.
How long you could carry it with no income. If the answer is not long, we look for a different property or a bigger cushion.
The spreadsheet I use for short-term rentals and the payment calculator are free on this site.
Where to start looking
Based on the October 27, 2026 market report. Every property is different, and these are starting points, not promises.
The lowest median price of the cities I cover, and the most listings with a price cut. A good place to look for a first long-term rental.
Close to north Austin, with prices down about six percent this year. More room to negotiate than a year ago.
Older homes on bigger lots in 78664, where the numbers on a rental often work better than on the newer side of town.
North and east Austin have more supply and more room to negotiate. Short-term rentals inside the city need a license, so the rules come first.
Questions I get
For an investment property, lenders usually ask for 20 to 25 percent down, plus closing costs and a reserve. If you live in one unit of a duplex to fourplex, some loans allow much less. A lender can tell you exactly what you qualify for, and I can introduce you to one.
That is a question for your CPA and your attorney, and the answer depends on your situation. What I can tell you is how each choice affects the purchase and the loan, so you can ask them the right questions.
No. I help you find, analyze and buy it, and I can introduce you to property managers in the area so you can compare them.
Yes. You do not need to be here. I can walk a house with you on video, and the closing can be done remotely.
In most of the area buyers have more room to negotiate than they have had in years. In the suburbs I cover, close to two out of three listings have already cut their price. Whether it is a good time for you depends on the property and your numbers.
Talk to me
Where you are, what you have to work with and what you want the property to do. I answer every message myself, and if the numbers do not work, I will tell you.
