Moving to Austin
Moving to Austin?Start with the map, not the house.
I’ve made this move myself: Budapest to California, then California to Austin in 2020. I’ll help you understand the city before you commit to a house.
Diana RobertsTexas Agent · California Broker · Certified General Appraiser
01 / Where You're Coming From
from BudapestHungarian
Real estate has its own tower of Babel.
Every place has its own contracts, customs, taxes and words for the same things. Diana was born in Budapest, sold homes as a California broker, and now works in Texas as both an agent and a Certified General Appraiser. She translates all of it: the language, the rules and the technology that runs the deal.
Diana translates
Diana was born here.
- Ügyvédi ellenjegyzésTitle company closingIn Hungary an attorney countersigns the sale. In Texas a title company closes it and insures the title.
- FoglalóEarnest moneyHeld by the title company, with an option period that lets you walk away for any reason.
- Tulajdoni lapTitle commitmentThe land registry extract becomes a title commitment you review before closing.
General information as of September 2026, not legal or tax advice. The dial shows true compass bearing from Austin, with distance compressed.
02 / Why Diana
She has made the move. More than once.
Diana was born in Budapest, started her American life in San Francisco, built her real estate career in Los Angeles and the South Bay, and moved her family to Austin in 2020. She knows what a move feels like from the inside, and what a house looks like to an appraiser.
Relocation is personal to her.
Schools, commute, community and timing, and a decision you want to still feel right in five years.
An appraiser's eye on every house.
3,000+ appraisal reports give Diana a disciplined read on site, condition, construction and competition. She never appraises a home she represents.
New construction, beyond the finishes.
Diana worked alongside developers on 12+ residential projects, which helps when you compare a builder home with a resale home.
She lives here.
Diana lives in Serene Hills, serves as Assistant Secretary of the HOA Board and publishes the Serene Hills Journal.
I’ve been using Diana’s real estate services for years. She helped me to find a house quickly when I moved here and continues to help for my employees to find suitable homes. Diana is very helpful, always reachable and ready to help. I would recommend Diana if you want a quick, good reliable service.
03 / Where to Live in Austin
Start with how you want the week to work.
There is no single best Austin neighborhood. Commute, schools, lot size, architecture, lake access, golf and how often you need to be downtown all change the answer.
Right Now
Homes Diana is representing today.
04 / California to Austin
Translate the priorities, not the ZIP code.
Diana lived and worked in Northern and Southern California before moving to Austin. She won't pretend a Westlake street is a Manhattan Beach walk street. She will help you find what you are actually trying to keep.
- Property tax. Texas has no Prop 13. Value is reassessed every year, with a 10% annual cap once the home is your homestead.
- No escrow company. A title company holds the money and runs the closing.
- Lot size and trees. The same budget often buys more land, and the land has more slope.
West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Rob Roy
Trees, privacy, larger sites and established demand, with Spanish Oaks and parts of Barton Creek in the same conversation.
Lake Austin, Lakeway, Lake Travis
Views, boating and outdoor living matter more here than walkability. Lake Travis moves with the weather; Lake Austin stays level.
Tarrytown, Pemberton Heights, Clarksville
When design and being close in outweigh lot size, Old West Austin and nearby central neighborhoods make more sense.
Barton Creek, Spanish Oaks, Lakeway
Golf, privacy, club life, views and indoor-outdoor living, with very different fees and rules from one community to the next.
05 / Moving From Europe or Abroad
Diana was born in Budapest. She knows this move.
Crossing an ocean adds a layer to buying a house. Money moves differently, signatures happen across time zones and a few American habits need translating. Diana made that move herself, from Budapest to San Francisco.
1 m² is about 10.76 sq ft. And for August: 100°F is about 38°C.
Plan the wire early.
International transfers take time and currency timing matters. Always confirm wiring instructions by phone with the title company before you send anything. Wire fraud targets real estate closings.
Talk to a lender first.
Loans for buyers without U.S. credit history exist, but they usually take longer and ask for a larger down payment. Start that conversation before the first tour.
You may not need to fly in.
Texas has allowed online notarization since 2018, including for signers outside the United States. Confirm early that your title company and lender accept it.
Check before you sign.
Most buyers, including many who are not U.S. citizens, can buy in Texas. A 2025 Texas law restricts purchases by certain foreign governments, companies and individuals, so have a Texas real estate attorney review your situation first.
06 / Texas Is Different
What changes when you buy in Texas.
Diana is a California broker and a Texas agent, so she can explain the switch from both sides. Current as of September 2026; confirm the details for your exact property.
A state form and an option period.
Most resales use forms promulgated by the Texas Real Estate Commission. For an option fee paid to the title company within three days, the buyer can end the contract for any reason before the option period ends.
Sign before you tour.
Since January 1, 2026, Texas requires a written agreement before an agent shows a buyer a home. More in the FAQ.
A title company, not escrow.
The title company holds the earnest money and option fee and runs the closing. Title insurance premiums in Texas are set by the state.
Meet the T-47.
Sellers often provide an existing survey with a T-47 affidavit saying nothing has changed. If the title company won't accept it, a new survey is ordered.
No income tax. Real property tax.
Texas has no state income tax, and its constitution has banned real estate transfer taxes since 2015. Property tax stacks county, city, school and special districts, including MUDs west of Austin.
Claim it when you move in.
A principal residence can qualify for a $140,000 school district homestead exemption (2025 law), with taxable value increases capped at 10% a year. Apply with the appraisal district before May 1.
Sale prices are not public.
Texas is a non-disclosure state, so deeds don't show what homes sold for. Reading value takes data access and judgment, which is where an appraiser's training helps.
The newcomer list.
Register your car within 30 days (Travis County requires an emissions inspection first) and get a Texas driver license within 90. School districts don't follow city names, so check the address.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Diana points you to the right title company, lender, tax professional or attorney when a question moves into their lane. Relocation FAQs.
07 / Buying From Out of State
What the photos leave out.
Listing photos are chosen to sell. Before you travel, Diana reads each home against an appraiser's checklist, so your trip is spent on the right ones.
08 / How the Move Works
One Austin relationship. A coordinated move.
Relocation should not feel like two unrelated transactions. Diana keeps the Austin plan clear and connects the other market only when it helps.
Define the move.
Where you're coming from, timing, budget, the way you want to live and what has to happen in the market you're leaving.
Narrow the map.
Two or three areas that fit, and a Compass Collection Diana sets up for you. She sends the right homes as they come up, including ones outside your search lines, and you can search Compass yourself, 24/7, from wherever you live now.
Tour with purpose.
One focused trip, built around the homes and streets that deserve your time.
Offer, contract, close.
Option period, inspection, appraisal and closing, often while you're still packing. What happens under contract.
Selling Somewhere Else First?
Two markets. One plan.
If you have a home to sell before you buy here, Diana coordinates the timing with the agent on that side, or makes a personal introduction if you don't have one yet. She stays your Austin advisor and point of accountability.
Network figures from Compass, Inc.'s Q2 2026 Form 10-Q. Participation and services vary by market, brokerage, brand and professional.
What does an Austin relocation real estate advisor actually handle?
Diana narrows the communities that fit your daily life, builds the search, reads each property with an appraiser’s eye, runs the tours, manages the offer and contract, and keeps the Austin side in step with any home you are selling elsewhere.
How early should I contact Diana before moving to Austin?
Three to six months works for many moves. Start earlier when a home has to sell first, school timing matters or two closings need to line up. Starting early commits you to nothing.
Can I buy an Austin home from out of state?
Yes. Diana narrows the search, explains what the photos leave out before you travel, joins inspections with you and manages the transaction while you are away, and many closing documents can be signed remotely when the title company and lender accept it. What the photos leave out.
Can I see Austin homes before they reach the public websites?
Yes, through Compass. Some sellers start privately or go public first on Compass, so some homes are never on the big search sites. Diana sets you up with a Compass Collection, sends you the Private Exclusive, Coming Soon and Make Me Sell matches that fit, and you can search Compass yourself, 24/7, from wherever you are moving from. One Compass One login carries you through closing and after. How See It First works.
How does Diana help someone moving from California to Austin?
Diana lived and worked in Northern and Southern California. She translates what you want to keep, such as privacy, water, architecture or central access, into Austin communities. California to Austin.
Can Diana help if I am moving to Austin from Europe or another country?
Yes. Diana was born in Budapest and made the move herself. Line up the lender, title company and, when needed, a Texas real estate attorney early. Moving from Europe.
When can I claim the Texas homestead exemption after I move?
Apply with the county appraisal district once the home is your principal residence, generally before May 1. School districts provide a $140,000 homestead exemption (2025 law), and taxable value increases are capped at 10% a year. Confirm the details for your address.
Can Diana help if I am moving away from Austin?
Yes, and it has its own page. Diana sells the Austin home with an appraiser's discipline, manages the sale after you move and makes a personal introduction to an agent where you are going. Selling your Austin home to move.
Keep Exploring
Your next question probably lives here.
Start With Your Move
Give Diana the coordinates.
Where you're coming from, when you need to arrive and what life in Austin should look like. That is enough to start.
Diana Roberts · Austin Real Estate Advisor · Compass
Texas Agent · California Broker · Certified General Appraiser
512.888.8326 · diana.roberts@compass.com · Compass profile ↗
Diana Roberts is a Texas real estate sales agent with Compass and a California real estate broker (DRE #01405276). Verify Texas licenses with TREC · Verify with the California DRE. Diana is affiliated with The Appraisal Shop, and her appraisal services are provided through The Appraisal Shop under a defined client, intended use and scope of work. Formal appraisal and brokerage representation are separate engagements. This page is general information as of September 2026, not legal, tax, lending or immigration advice; laws, exemptions and rates change, so verify them for the specific property and situation. The direction dial shows true compass bearing from Austin with distance compressed and is not to scale. Compass network figures are from Compass, Inc.'s Q2 2026 Form 10-Q; participation and services vary by market, brokerage, brand and professional.