January is usually when people feel pressure to “fix” their budget — cut spending, set aggressive goals, and overhaul everything at once. But the most effective budgets don’t start with restriction.They start with awareness. Before changing anything this month: The goal isn’t to judge or overhaul — it’s to understand. Homeownership planning works the same […]

Your Planning Guide If you already own a home — or you’re planning to someday — one of the most empowering things you can do is understand what homeownership actually costs beyond the mortgage. Not to stress yourself out.Not to make you second-guess your decision.But to plan ahead so nothing catches you off guard. This […]

Taking care of your home all year long helps protect its value, prevent surprise repairs, and make a great impression—whether you’re living in it for life or planning to sell someday. December is a busy month for all of us, but winterizing your outdoor faucets and pipes is a quick, no-stress, budget-friendly task that takes […]

December is the perfect month to slow down, look back, and plan ahead. Before life picks up in the new year, give your finances the same attention you’d give your home or your goals—tidy them up, celebrate progress, and make space for what’s next. Start with a year-end review. Look at your 2025 budget and […]

Selling your home for the first time in South Austin (and anywhere else really!) is a whole different kind of emotional rollercoaster.Buying felt like a big decision… but selling? Now you’re the one calling the shots.And that’s exactly where first-time sellers accidentally sabotage themselves.Today, let’s walk through the mistakes that quietly drain thousands of dollars […]

Who hasn’t checked their home’s value online “just to see”? It’s quick, it’s tempting, and it’s fun to imagine your home’s worth ticking up like a stock price. But before you get too attached to that number, here’s the truth: those online estimates are rarely exact. Why? Because they can’t see or feel what makes […]

Taking care of your home all year long helps protect its value, prevent surprise repairs, and make a great impression—whether you’re living in it for life or planning to sell someday. With the time change complete and our chilly 50° mornings rolling in (followed by afternoons that somehow still hit 85°—classic Austin!), November is the […]

The holiday season can sneak up quickly—and so can the expenses that come with it. Between travel, gifts, hosting, and festive extras, it’s easy to overspend in the spirit of generosity. This November, take a pause and create a plan that aligns your holiday spending with your values. Start by writing out your holiday priorities. […]

You love the neighborhood. You love the community. The schools. The memories you’ve already built. But your home? It doesn’t quite feel like it fits you anymore. It might be the layout, the finishes, the kitchen that feels stuck in the past, or simply the need for better flow. Good news: You don’t have to […]

As we head into the last few months of the year, October is the ideal time to do a quick financial checkup—starting with your recurring expenses. Between streaming services, app subscriptions, memberships, and auto-renewals, it’s easy to lose track of what’s quietly hitting your bank account each month. Start by reviewing your statements or opening […]