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Reviewed by David Ghazaryan, Mortgage Broker, NMLS 1486726 · iQRATE Mortgages · Last updated: October 13, 2026
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An Austin mortgage broker compares many lenders for tech-income, jumbo, conventional and investor loans. iQRATE Mortgages (NMLS 1862492) is licensed in Texas and shops more than 100 lenders on complex files. Travis County's 2026 limits are $832,750 conforming and $571,550 FHA, and the 2025 combined tax rate in Austin with Austin ISD was about 2.23%. Austin's median sold price was about $415,000 in September 2026. Every short-term rental needs a city license, and since July 1, 2026, the city has been having unlicensed listings removed. Full-doc loans close in about 17 days.
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5.0 stars from 87 reviews on Experience.com (October 2026) · Read David's reviews on Experience.com
Austin's buyers are largely tech workers with RSUs and bonuses, startup founders, University of Texas staff and people relocating from California. Prices have come down from their 2022 peak and inventory is higher, which gives buyers room to negotiate seller-paid rate buydowns. We compare those offers, builder incentives and outside lenders for each file.
Part of our Texas mortgage broker coverage. We're licensed in Texas under company NMLS 1862492 and work Austin files from our Las Vegas office, closing with local escrow and title.
Neighborhoods and ZIPs we lend in: Travis Heights and Zilker (78704), East Austin (78702, 78721), Mueller (78723), Hyde Park (78751), Allandale and Crestview (78757), Circle C (78739), Avery Ranch (78717), and Riverside and Montopolis (78741).
Texas basics that apply here: Texas has no transfer tax and no state income tax, and title insurance premiums are set by the Texas Department of Insurance. Property taxes are high and billed each October and paid in arrears, so lenders usually collect about 2–6 months of taxes into escrow at closing, depending on the closing month; the seller's prorated tax credit for the months they owned the home offsets part of that. Owner-occupants get the homestead exemption and a 10% cap on yearly appraisal increases after the first year. A cash-out loan on a homestead is limited to 80% of value under Section 50(a)(6). Statewide down payment help includes TSAHC (Homes for Texas Heroes, Home Sweet Texas) and TDHCA (My First Texas Home).
Closing costs are what it costs you to get the loan: origination, discount points, appraisal, and escrow and title. Cash to close also includes your prepaids (first-year homeowners insurance, daily interest to month-end, and an escrow deposit for your own future property taxes and insurance) plus your down payment. Prepaids aren't a cost of the loan; they're your own bills paid ahead. In Austin, property-tax escrow (often 2–6 months, partly offset by the seller's prorated tax credit) and the first year of homeowners insurance are the main prepaids. Your actual closing costs depend on county, price and loan type, so we don't quote a one-size range: every line is itemized on your Loan Estimate, and our Bare Bones guarantee means we add no fees of our own. Compare states on our closing costs by state page.
Travis County: conforming $832,750 and FHA $571,550 for a one-unit home, the highest FHA limit of the big Texas metros. Above $832,750 you need a jumbo loan, common in Tarrytown, Westlake and Barton Creek.
Conventional (as little as 3% down for eligible first-time buyers), FHA (3.5% down, 580+ score), VA (no down payment for eligible veterans with full entitlement), jumbo above the conforming limit, DSCR loans that qualify on rent, bank statement loans for self-employed borrowers, asset-based and 1099 loans, and rate-and-term or cash-out refinances. As a broker we compare wholesale lenders, more than 100 on complex files, instead of one bank's menu.
Terms for each are on its own page; see all iQRATE guarantees.
$571,550 for a one-unit home in Travis County. The conforming limit is $832,750.
Yes. Every STR in Austin's full- and limited-purpose jurisdiction needs a city license, and since July 1, 2026, the city has been asking platforms to remove unlicensed listings.
About $2.23 per $100 of value in 2025 in the City of Austin with Austin ISD, before exemptions. MUDs and PIDs in the suburbs add more.
Yes. The City of Austin offers up to $40,000 to eligible first-time buyers, with a $440,000 price cap.
Often, with a vesting history and continuing grants. Lender rules vary, which is why we compare several.
About $415,000 for homes sold in September 2026, according to MLS data reported by Team Price.
Compare it first. A buydown can be worth it, but an outside lender with seller credits may cost less overall.
Closing costs depend on the price, loan type and county, so yours are itemized on your Loan Estimate rather than quoted as a range. Closing costs are what it costs to get the loan (origination, points, appraisal, escrow and title). Cash to close also includes prepaids and your down payment; in Austin, property-tax escrow (often 2–6 months, partly offset by the seller's prorated tax credit) and the first year of homeowners insurance are the main prepaids.
Most of our loans close in under 30 days. For eligible full-documentation conventional, FHA and VA purchases, our goal is 17 calendar days from signing initial disclosures.
Get My Custom Rate Now · or call (702) 766-3744
iQRATE Mortgages · NMLS 1862492 · 6360 S Rainbow Blvd Ste 101, Las Vegas, NV 89118 · Licensed in Nevada, California, Texas and Florida. David Ghazaryan, Mortgage Broker, NMLS 1486726. Verify us on NMLS Consumer Access. Equal Housing Opportunity. Programs, rates and terms change and are subject to credit, property and underwriting approval; local facts on this page come from the public sources below and are not legal or tax advice.
More: Texas mortgage broker · DSCR loans · Bank statement loans · Our guarantees · Closing costs by state
