Sojourn Community Blog

All things Central Texas Real Estate and beyond!

Young Couple Walkthrough

Don’t Fear the Final Walkthrough!

You’ve navigated major hurdles in your home purchase journey and you’re under contract. You’re excited for the final walkthrough but nervous that you might do something to cause the sale to fall apart. So you ask:

Why even HAVE a final walkthrough?

Could it cause a delay—a critical error so late in the game?

If I skip it, will I miss a problem that’s expensive to fix?

Read more

Credit Application

Keep Escrow on Track: 3 Things to Consider When Handling Finances During the Closing

You did it! The ink is dry on your home purchase contract and the escrow clock is ticking. Now all you have to do is wait until closing day and that property will be your new home!

Not. So. Fast.

Read more

Bell County Tax Appraisal

What’s up with this property appraisal notice I received from Bell County?

Homeowners in Bell County might be surprised to learn that their property has been subjected to a new appraisal, which can lead to an increase in property taxes they owe.

Read more

Ethan Williams Averson Inspections

Buying a Home? A Central Texas Home Inspector Shares 5 Tips

Your offer on a home was accepted (check!), your financing was approved (check!), and you plunked down the earnest money (check!).

Now it’s time to schedule a professional home inspection.

Read more

Charlsie Barfield and Kirbi Barbosa - Sojourn Agents

Making an offer on a house and feel confused? Check out these 5 best practices

We spoke with two of our own Central Texas REALTOR®s, Charlsie Barfield and Kirbi Barbosa to dive into the best way to make an offer on a property in a seller’s market – thus landing you in a home you love and can afford. Once your pre-approval is ready and you’ve decided which mortgage type fits you, you’re ready to make an offer.

Follow these 5 best practices to get into the home you’ll love. Read more

Sherry Orange, Fairway Mortgage Temple, TX

What kind of mortgage should I get for the property I want?

We spoke with Sherry Orange, a Loan Officer with Fairway Mortgage in Temple, Texas to discover how central texas homebuyers can get the property they want in a seller’s market. After getting that all-important pre-approval letter, the next step is being crystal clear with your lender about the intended use for the property you’re eyeing. Enjoy! Read more

Karly Lindell, Fairway Mortgage Temple

What is mortgage pre-approval, and do I really need it?

We spent some time with Karly Tindell of Fairway Mortgage in Temple, Texas to discover more about how homebuyers can win in a seller’s market, which includes getting a pre-approval letter from a qualified loan officer, like Karly. Enjoy! Read more

Property-Value

Will We Remain in a Seller’s Market in 2021 and 2022?

Remember studying the 1850s-era Gold Rush in your 7th grade American history class? Everybody went wild, ditching their day jobs, heading west and wading into mountain streams with a pan and a dream.

That’s what this real estate market feels like. The new Gold Nugget is housing and there’s a crazy rush to snap up homes no matter what the cost—many times leaving logic at the curb.

Compared to last year, the average home price in the Central Texas real estate market has risen 25% and the number of listings has decreased by a whopping 75%, according to the 2021 Texas Real Estate Research Center and Texas Association of REALTORS®.

For potential buyers AND sellers, this seems like a market that’s gotten completely out of control. Read more

Sojourn - Sold with Multiple Offers - hero image

How to Handle Multiple Offers on Your House

Thanks to the current economic climate, home sales are breaking all kinds of records. Not only are properties selling extremely quickly, they’re also bringing in top dollar prices. That’s a win-win, right? You’ve got a house—why not cash in that equity in this fantastic sellers’ market?

Many homeowners are doing just that—but they’re facing an unusual problem. As soon as their home’s listing hits the market, they’re faced with multiple offers. Yep, you read that right. Multiple offers. Read more

Family-Selling-Home

What Is the Best Time of Year to Sell My House?

Are you considering selling your home? Like most of us, you probably don’t take on an enormous life change very often—so it’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed by your choices when deciding to cash in on your home’s value.

Read more