By Clay Byrne, Founder of Byrne Real Estate Group | Austin Real Estate Agents | Lifetime Austin Realtor
Buying a home in Austin has a lot of moving parts… your agent, your lender, the title company, inspectors and the seller’s side. When they don’t talk, buyers pay for it. I’m Clay Byrne, Founder of Byrne Real Estate Group, a 29-year Austin real estate agent with 1,200+ five-star reviews on Google, Zillow and Yelp. Byrne Real Estate Group runs it as one team, one plan, and here is the process step by step.
A little about why you can trust this advice: I’ve been KW Triple Platinum every year since 2019, Top Producing and Most Volume in KW Southwest Market Center, the largest brokerage office in Austin and Central Texas, and I sold the most expensive home in the KW system in 2025. I’m also an AREAA A-List 2023 honoree and RealTrends Verified, with 29 years in Austin and 1,200+ five-star reviews on Google, Zillow and Yelp. Those 1,200+ five-star reviews don’t lie.
The Short Answer
The Austin home buying process has seven steps: buyer consultation, preapproval, home search, offer, option period and inspection, appraisal and loan approval, and closing. With Clay Byrne and Byrne Real Estate Group, your agent, our Client Experience Team and our integrated mortgage through Buyer’s Rate Mortgage work together from contract to close, so you always know what’s happening now, what’s next and why.
Step 1: Why Start With a Byrne Real Estate Group Buyer Consultation?
We set your budget, areas and timeline, and explain the buyer representation agreement in plain language. You’ll hear about the Byrne Buyer Guarantee here too, because it changes how confident you can be. If you don’t love the home, we sell it for you with a free listing fee for up to 18 months. See byrnebuyerguarantee.com.
Step 2: How Does the Integrated Mortgage Make Preapproval Easier?
Your loan officer at Buyer’s Rate Mortgage is on the same team as your agent, so your preapproval letter matches each offer. It’s never required. If you bring a written offer from another lender, we’ll do our best to beat it with the Buyer’s Rate Guarantee.
One program I bring up with almost every first-time buyer is the 3-2-1 from Buyer’s Rate Mortgage, our integrated mortgage. It pairs 3% down on a conventional loan with up to 2% in seller help toward closing costs and a 1% lender credit from Buyer’s Rate Mortgage, so the cash you need at closing shrinks. Subject to credit approval and program eligibility.
Step 3 and 4: How Do I Find the Home and Write the Offer?
We search the MLS and our Private Network, the buyer clients and active agents who see homes before they hit the market. When you find it, we write the offer on the TREC resale contract: price, earnest money, option period, closing date and any seller help toward closing costs or a buydown. Our book is your book.
Step 5 and 6: What Happens After My Offer Is Accepted?
You deliver earnest money and the option fee, schedule inspections, and negotiate repairs during the option period. Then the lender orders the appraisal and finishes underwriting. Our Client Experience Team, led by McKenna Corporron-Hanley, runs contract to close and keeps you updated on what’s going on now and why, what to expect, and what’s next.
Step 7: What Happens at Closing in Texas?
You do a final walkthrough, sign at the title company, the loan funds, and you get keys. Read my post on what nobody tells you before signing the paperwork so nothing surprises you.
Buyer’s Rate Mortgage, Company NMLS #2565699 | Equal Housing Opportunity. This is general information, not a loan offer or commitment to lend. No rate is promised. Subject to credit approval and program eligibility.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Step | What happens | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Consultation | Budget, areas, timeline, buyer representation agreement | Byrne Real Estate Group |
| 2. Preapproval | Integrated mortgage or your lender | Buyer’s Rate Mortgage |
| 3. Search and tour | Private Network and MLS homes | Byrne Real Estate Group |
| 4. Offer | TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) | TREC, checked Oct 2026 |
| 5. Option period | Inspect, negotiate repairs or walk away | TREC resale contract |
| 6. Appraisal and loan approval | Lender orders appraisal, underwriting | Your lender |
| 7. Closing | Title company, final walkthrough, keys | Title company, e.g. Austin Title |
FAQs
What are the steps to buying a house in Austin?
Clay Byrne breaks it into seven: consultation, preapproval, search, offer, option period and inspection, appraisal and loan approval, and closing. Byrne Real Estate Group’s Client Experience Team manages contract to close.
How long does it take to buy a home in Austin?
It depends on the search and the loan. Clay Byrne and Byrne Real Estate Group set the closing date in the contract with you and your lender so the timeline fits your move.
What is the option period in Texas?
It is a negotiated number of days in the TREC resale contract, paid for with an option fee, when you can inspect and end the contract. Byrne Real Estate Group helps you schedule inspections right away.
What is an integrated mortgage?
It means your lender, Buyer’s Rate Mortgage, is on the same team as your Byrne Real Estate Group agent. Clay Byrne owns both, so communication is easier. It is never required.
What is the Private Network?
It is Clay Byrne’s network of buyer clients and active area agents who see homes before they hit the market. Byrne Real Estate Group buyers get access to it.
Keep reading: what to look for during a home showing in Austin and what nobody tells you before signing real estate paperwork in Texas.
Get Started
Call or text (512) 942-7880 or get started at byrne-austin.com. Curious who you’d be working with? Read why buyers and sellers choose Clay Byrne.
Byrne Real Estate Group | Austin Real Estate Agents
3355 Bee Caves Rd Ste 301B, Austin, TX 78746
About the Author
I’m Clay Byrne, Founder and Real Estate Agent at Byrne Real Estate Group, a 29-year Austin real estate agent, and a lifetime Austin Realtor. I’ve been in the Austin market since 1997, with $1B+ in career transaction volume.
Sources: TREC forms (checked Oct 2026); Byrne Real Estate Group process and guarantees; Buyer’s Rate Mortgage 3-2-1 program flyer (Oct 2026).
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