Selling Your Home in Austin? Read These Cold, Hard Truths First.
Oct. 22. 2025
The Austin, Texas real estate market in 2025 is still firmly in a buyer’s market—and as a longtime Austin Realtor who works primarily with homeowners (see my listings here), I’ve learned a few cold, hard truths worth sharing before you list your home for sale. Please read on…
To get a home successfully SOLD, three things must align:
- Buyer perception
- Seller expectation
- Market data
When these three align, you close. When they don’t, you sit. And right now, that alignment is tougher than ever.
Austin currently has more homes for sale than it has in the past 20 years. Buyers are feeling uncertain about the economy and facing the largest income-to-home-price gap in history. Not to mention there are fewer buyers in the market as well!
Meanwhile, many sellers are still anchored to pandemic-era pricing—not realizing that today’s buyers want move-in ready homes AND they have the upperhand for the most part. Few buyers have the money, time, or patience for repairs.
Let’s get into the truths about selling your home in Austin—and what it really takes to close in this market.
- 90% of Marketing Is Your Price.
It’s not the open houses, drone footage, or glossy brochures—it’s your price.
Yes, home staging, curb appeal, and professional photography matter. They get buyers through the door. But if your home isn’t priced right, none of that matters. You won’t get engagement, showings, or offers.
Even a beautiful, well-prepped home won’t sell if it’s overpriced. Maybe you’ll get a lowball offer, but that’s just frustrating when you feel your home is worth more. The truth is: pricing your home correctly from day one is the single biggest marketing decision you can make.
(Also I have a great video on open houses from the agent, buyer and seller perspective HERE).
- We All Overvalue What We Own.
It’s human nature.
Even the most realistic sellers tend to place a higher value on their home than the market does. Memories, renovations, and sweat equity all factor into what you feel your home is worth.
But buyers don’t see your memories—they see square footage, condition, and comparables. They’re comparing your home to every other Austin home for sale in their price range.
Pro tip: Look at your home through a buyer’s eyes, not your own. If you were buying today, would you pay your asking price?
- Every Seller Has a Price.
After hundreds of listings, here’s what I know: sellers set the list price, but the market sets the sales price.
Letting go of “your number” can be the hardest part of selling. But in a competitive Austin housing market, being attached to a price that the market won’t support only leads to frustration.
Attachment to an outcome you can’t control doesn’t serve you—it stalls your sale.
- Do It Right the First Time.
“Testing the market” rarely works.
If you’re not serious about selling, wait. But if you are—prepare properly from the start. That means:
- Get a pre-inspection. Know your home’s condition before buyers do. It builds trust and gives you leverage.
- Prep it properly. Declutter, paint, clean, repair, power-wash, and stage. (Check out my video on staging your home and prepping)
- Price it smart. “Aspirational pricing” will only hurt you. Study the data, trust in your experienced Realtor who is in the field daily, and know your neighborhood inventory. If a home bigger and brighter than yours is still on the market–it’s most likely overpriced-don’t make the same mistake.
If you’re not ready for full market exposure, consider selling your home off-market—but still prep it right. Once you get interest, you’ll likely want to open it up to more buyers.
(See my post on Pros and Cons of Selling Off-Market in Austin.)
- Don’t Hire the Agent Who Tells You What You Want to Hear.
Some sellers hire the Austin real estate agent who agrees with their price. But that’s not the right move.
You want a trusted listing agent who will shoot you straight, understand your goals, and guide you toward results—not just tell you what you want to hear. My role isn’t to validate your number; it’s to get you to your next chapter with confidence and clarity.
- The Market Is Talking. Are You Listening?
Here’s a real example: earlier this year, we had a beautifully prepped, perfectly staged home priced right in line with comps. But with so much competition nearby, we reduced the price—and got three offers.
Great, right? Except all three came below the reduced price. My sellers didn’t accept any of those offers, and the home sat for another two months, my client losing even more money in mortgage, utilities and maintenance. Even when the data said “this home is a deal,” the Austin housing market said otherwise–they were NOT willing to pay what my sellers wanted for their home.
That’s the reality: the market decides your home’s value—not you, not me, not comps.
My Final Thoughts
My job as your Austin Realtor and listing agent is to help you position your home strategically, guide you through tough decisions, and get you smoothly to the finish line.
That often means having honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations—about pricing, prep, and expectations. But that’s what good agents do.
I’ll always tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear—because the truth sells homes.
(I will sometimes tell you why you should NOT sell too? example HERE).
Looking to sell your home in Austin, TX?
Let’s talk about your goals and create a strategy that gets your home sold—without wasting time or money.
? Contact me here or check out some of my other videos: