Once your offer is accepted, things get very real very quickly. This is usually the most exciting and the most stressful part of buying a home. Our goal is to slow things down mentally, even while the paperwork is moving fast.

Home Inspections: What Really Happens

Most buyers have a short inspection window written into the contract, often around 5 to 10 days to schedule inspections and respond to the seller, although the exact number of days is set in your agreement.

A standard home inspection usually lasts around 2 to 3 hours on site, depending on size and condition, and results in a detailed written report covering major systems and structure.

In Austin and across Texas, a general home inspection for a typical single-family home often falls in the $300 to $600 range, with many Austin inspections quoted between about $400 and $650 depending on size.  Add-ons like termite inspections, sewer scope, or septic inspections will add additional costs depending on the scope.

We strongly encourage you to attend the inspection if possible. It’s one of the best chances you’ll have to learn how the home actually works, beyond what you see at showings.  It also allows the inspector to point things out to you directly at the time of inspection.  Unless you’re burchasing a new home, the inspection report will likely have a number of issues flagged that are related to code changes that have occured since the home was constructed. The inspector can point out which items he is concerned with and which ones are nice to know.

How We Walk Through the Report with You

This is where we lean in, not step back. When the inspection report arrives, we don’t just forward a link and tell you to skim it. We set aside time to go through it page by page with you.

Together we’ll separate true safety or major condition issues from minor maintenance and normal wear, flag items that matter most to future resale or long-term costs, and talk through what’s typical for Austin homes of that age and price versus what’s a genuine red flag.

Inspection reports are meant to educate you about condition, maintenance, and potential future issues. Once we have a clear picture, we help you build a plan. That might include asking the seller for specific repairs, a repair credit, a price adjustment, or sometimes choosing to walk away if serious problems can’t be resolved within your comfort level. Negotiating after inspection is normal and widely recommended as a way to avoid expensive surprises later.

The bottom line we want you to feel is this: you’re not reading that report alone. You have a team beside you, helping you decide what matters and what doesn’t.

Appraisal: The Lender’s Value Check

If you’re financing the purchase, your lender will order an appraisal after you’re under contract. An appraisal is an independent opinion of value that helps the lender confirm the home is worth roughly what you’re paying. Appraisers are licensed third parties who don’t represent the buyer or seller. Their job is to give a fair, professional estimate of market value.

In Texas, many single-family appraisals fall in a range of roughly $400 to $700, and they’re usually paid by the buyer as part of closing costs.

A typical pattern is: inspection completed in the first week after going under contract, then appraisal scheduled and completed roughly 7 to 14 days after inspection, depending on lender and appraiser availability.

When the appraisal comes in, there are three main outcomes: at value, above value, or below value. If it comes in low, we circle back to the strategy we discussed in your offer section and talk through renegotiation, covering some gap, or using any appraisal contingency you have in place.

Typical Contract to Closing Timeline

Most financed purchases take about 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to closing, depending on loan type and how smoothly inspections, underwriting, and title work go.

A common high-level timeline looks like this:

Days 1 to 3: Earnest money and option/inspection fee paid into escrow, loan file started

Days 1 to 10: General inspection and any specialty inspections, repair negotiations, final decision to move forward within your contingency window

Days 10 to 25: Appraisal ordered and completed, lender collects documents and processes your loan, title company works on title search and preliminary title commitment

Days 25 to 30+: Final underwriting, clear to close issued, closing disclosure delivered at least three business days before closing, final walkthrough, then signing at the title company or closing office

Throughout this period we stay in touch with your lender and the title company so you’re not the one chasing updates.

Who Does What, and How We Keep It Calm

You review reports, provide documents to your lender, sign disclosures, order inspections ,and tell us honestly how you’re feeling about what we’re finding.

We review inspections, help interpret findings, manage repair and credit negotiations, track deadlines, and keep everyone talking.

Your lender handles the loan application, appraisal order, underwriting, and final loan approval.

The title company runs title searches, prepares closing documents, and handles the transfer of funds and recording of the deed.

Being under contract will never be completely stress-free, but you should never feel like you’re trying to manage it alone. Our promise as a boutique, family-owned brokerage is that we’ll walk each step with you, explain what’s happening in plain language, and help you make steady, informed decisions from inspection day all the way through closing.