Homeowner Hotline: Open House Austin Radio

Some homes go under contract before you can even book a showing. Others sit for 60, 90, even 120 days and rack up price reductions. In this episode, Steph and Jenn break down exactly why — and what it means whether you're buying or selling in Austin right now. They dig into the real data behind Austin's split market (spoiler: active DOM and sold DOM are telling very different stories), walk throug...

Choosing where to live in Austin is the single biggest decision a homebuyer makes — and lifestyle fit is the thing buyers underestimate most. In Episode 2 of Homeowner Hotline, Open House Austin broker Steph and founding realtor Jenn break down the best Austin neighborhoods for every lifestyle, pairing 9 distinct areas with 9 buyer personas so you can find the one that actually matches how you liv...

In this episode of Homeowner Hotline, Open House Austin's Steph (Broker & CEO) and Jenn Carey (Founding Realtor) break down BLRB — Buy, Live, Rent, Buy Again — the real estate wealth-building framework they've used personally and refined for the Austin market. Walking through each step, they explain how to buy a first property with intention (treating rentability, layout, and neighborh...

Austin property taxes are one of the most confusing and expensive parts of homeownership in Texas. In Episode 1 of Homeowner Hotline, Open House Austin broker Steph and founding realtor Jenn sit down to demystify the whole process: how your home's appraised value is calculated, what a Texas homestead exemption actually does for your tax bill, why the 10% homestead cap is one of the biggest win...

In this episode of Homeowner Hotline , Steph sits down with Open House Austin’s Jennifer Carey to talk about her latest real estate win—a Wimberley property that’s part vacation home, part Airbnb moneymaker. Jennifer walks us through how she found the deal (spoiler: she almost skipped it because of bad listing photos), renovated it for under market value, and now manages it remotely while breaking...

Midnight Zillow scrolling? Wine in hand? Don’t click that “Schedule a Tour” button just yet. In this episode, Steph Douglass breaks down why Zillow and open houses—while fun and full of vibes—are also traps for accidentally picking your real estate agent like you’re picking a pizza delivery driver. Learn how these systems work, what to actually look for at an open house (spoiler: it’s not the snac...

Stephanie Douglass and Mandy Mendoza pull back the curtain on the unconventional, yet totally doable, strategies that are helping first-time buyers in Austin win—despite the odds. From co-buying to sneaky duplexes, they break down how real estate can become more than a home: it’s a vehicle for freedom, flexibility, and long-term wealth. Real estate can provide financial freedom and flexibility Cas...

Steph Douglass is joined once again by Jenn Carey for a brutally honest (and refreshingly non-salesy) conversation about one of the biggest questions we get from clients right now: Should I buy now… or wait? Together they unpack the current state of the Austin housing market, what’s different from the pandemic frenzy, and what smart buyers should be doing regardless of their timeline. They talk ab...

In this conversation, Steph Douglass & Sydney Schuster discusses the current real estate market, emphasizing the opportunities available for buyers. They share insights on financing options, the importance of education in the home buying process, and a success story of clients transitioning from renting to owning. The discussion highlights the supportive role of realtors in guiding clients thr...

Buying a home with a friend, partner, or family member can seem like a smart way to get into the market—but it can also go sideways fast . In this episode, we’re unpacking the real-life risks of joint homeownership and investment partnerships: from mismatched money habits and unclear agreements to friendship-ending fallouts. Steph and [Agent Name] share lessons learned, red flags to watch for, and...

If you’re even thinking about buying a home in Austin — whether it’s your first place, an investment, or something creative in between — this is where to start. In this kickoff episode, Steph Douglass (founder of Open House Austin) sits down with agent and educator Jenn to talk about why they started this podcast, what most people get wrong about homebuying, and how OHA is making real estate more...