Greater Austin · Relocation
The short answer
Barrett Raven of Raven Residential Group at eXp Realty is a Greater Austin relocation agent you can call or text at (512) 855-2713. As of November 5, 2026, his Austin Texas Safari Guide channel showed 100 videos and 510,089 total views; his site has suburb city pages, and his published buyer process includes virtual tours.
Three things to settle first
- 1 Check the work Watch the local material, then ask what has changed and how the agent would apply it to your search.
- 2 Test the process Compare actual areas and ask how tours, offers, inspections and closing questions will be handled from a distance.
- 3 Read before signing Understand the services, duration, representation, exclusivity and compensation in the proposed agreement.
How can I check a relocation agent before I move?
Start with work you can actually examine, then talk through your Greater Austin move. A polished introduction will get your attention, but you need to know which areas an agent covers and how a remote purchase works. Bring your budget, regular destinations and a couple things you love and a couple things you hate about a home.
In his December 2025 video, Barrett describes an introductory Zoom call with a relocating family who found the team on YouTube. He gives his opinion on a neighborhood for each part of town. Watch how he weighs the tradeoffs, then talk through what needs checking for your own search.
Barrett’s Austin Texas Safari Guide channel gives you plenty of material to examine. Older videos are a starting point, so check current listings and details before deciding. As of November 5, 2026, the channel showed 100 videos and 510,089 total views, with a January 4, 2025 join date.
Which northern suburbs should I compare?
North and northwest Greater Austin give you several places to compare. More choices can help you find a home that fits, but each address comes with its own routes and costs. Start with the places you need to reach regularly.
Start with Round Rock listings and the Round Rock city page, then read the Round Rock relocation guide. Compare Georgetown listings with its city page and Georgetown relocation guide. A listing search gives you choices, but the address and the route to places you use still need checking.
Look at Leander homes, its city page and Leander relocation guide. Do the same for Cedar Park, using its city page and Cedar Park relocation guide. Look at the actual address and what it costs to live there. In his December 2025 video, Barrett named Georgetown’s Wolf Ranch as his north-area pick and cited the commute as a tradeoff.
What other Greater Austin areas can I compare?
Keep your search broad enough to compare real choices, but narrow it using the things you will do every week. Look at Pflugerville listings, its city page and the Pflugerville relocation guide. For Hutto, use the city page and Hutto relocation guide. More options can reveal a better fit, but they also mean more addresses and routes to verify.
Compare Buda homes with the Buda city page, and Kyle homes with its city page. For a western comparison, open Lakeway listings and the Lakeway city page, then Dripping Springs listings and its city page.
Give Barrett a few Greater Austin addresses and explain what attracts you to each. Check the route, the home and its property-specific costs. If schools matter, verify the assigned school directly with the relevant district. A wider search gives you choices, but it also takes more work to compare them. In his December 2025 video, Barrett named Six Creeks in Kyle as his south-area pick and called the commute to downtown Austin a drawback.
Should I choose urban Austin or a suburb?
Here’s the deal: compare central Austin with the space and budget you can get farther out. The location may put you closer to the places you use, but the home and its setting have to work for your budget too.
In his December 2025 video, Barrett explained his team’s rule of thumb: people want a good price, a good commute and family friendliness, but may have to compromise significantly on one. Test the route when you expect to travel and look at the street as well as the rooms.
Those were his opinions at filming time, so compare current homes before deciding. In that December 2025 video, Barrett named Mueller as his central Austin pick. He said central Austin comes at a higher price and pointed to smaller lots and high price per square foot as tradeoffs.
How do remote tours and offers work?
A live walkthrough can help you screen an Austin home from out of state, but a camera cannot establish everything about its condition. Send the address, your travel window and the features you need to see. Have the person conducting the tour show the street and the spaces that matter to you.
Raven’s guide to buying an Austin home without visiting recommends an independent licensed inspection and a written timeline. Decide what information would make you proceed, travel to see the property or pass. For signing and closing, confirm what the title company and lender can accommodate in your circumstances.
When an Austin property interests you, talk through the offer, negotiations and deadlines with Barrett and get the next decision in writing. Raven’s published buyer process has four steps: a discovery call, in-person or virtual property tours, offer guidance and closing support.
What should I read before signing an agreement?
Read the proposed buyer agreement before committing to a Greater Austin search. Look for the services, termination date, exclusivity, representation and compensation. Broker compensation is negotiable. A narrower arrangement may fit your plans, but make sure you understand what help it includes and how it can end.
The Texas Real Estate Commission FAQ explains that a buyer representation agreement is a private contract with the broker, not a state-promulgated form. The relocation agent selection guide offers questions for that discussion. Verify the license and bring legal questions to a qualified professional.
Before scheduling an Austin video tour, have the broker explain how the agreement applies. Under Texas law effective January 1, 2026, a license holder performing brokerage for a prospective residential buyer must enter a written agreement before showing a home or, if no home will be shown, before presenting an offer.
How should I plan my purchase timeline?
Work backward from your Greater Austin move. Start with your expected arrival, travel window, financing conversations and the date you need to decide where to live. Building in flexibility can give you more room to decide, but it may also mean temporary arrangements or extra travel.
Get your lender’s financing requirements and talk with Barrett about fitting Austin-area tours and offer decisions around your availability. Keep a written list of who handles inspection, document review, financing and title questions. If you cannot travel, find out early which steps can happen remotely and what alternatives are available.
Once an Austin-area home is under contract, read the actual deadlines with your agent and the appropriate professionals. The contract you sign controls your obligations. The TREC resale contract No. 20-19, effective July 1, 2026, has a negotiable option period and calls for earnest money and the option fee within 3 days of the Effective Date.
How do I set a useful relocation budget?
Set your Greater Austin budget around the full cost of a specific home. A lower asking price can be attractive, but financing, insurance, property taxes, association charges and needed work can change the picture. Get a lender’s estimate for your circumstances and an insurance quote for the actual address.
Compare current Austin-area homes with a comfortable payment range, the cash you have available and the features you will not give up. An older video can point you in the right direction, but its prices are not a current quote. Your lender can explain financing tradeoffs and the cash needed to close.
Property taxes deserve a close look for each Greater Austin address. An estimate helps you compare, but confirm what may change before relying on it. Use the Texas Comptroller’s property tax overview, then check the applicable appraisal district and taxing units.
Frequently asked questions
Is urban Austin or a suburb better for my move?
Compare current homes against your budget, daily routes and the space you need. Visit the areas and test the routes at the times you expect to travel before deciding.
Can I tour Austin homes while I am out of state?
Yes. Raven's published buyer process includes virtual property tours. Ask for a live walkthrough of the actual home and tell the team which rooms, surroundings and concerns you want to see. A video helps you screen a property, but it cannot establish hidden conditions. Arrange an independent licensed inspection and decide what would make you travel or pass.
Can I make an offer without visiting Austin?
Ask Barrett how offer guidance would work for your circumstances and the particular home. His published process includes guidance through negotiations, but a remote tour does not establish how every signing or closing step will happen. Confirm the required steps and timing with your agent, title company and lender before you rely on a remote plan.
Do I need to sign something before a video tour?
Ask for the proposed written agreement before scheduling the tour. Texas requirements effective January 1, 2026 generally call for an agreement before a license holder performing buyer brokerage shows residential property, including a video showing. Read the services, duration, representation, exclusivity and compensation terms, and have the broker explain anything you do not understand.
How far ahead should I start a relocation purchase?
Start with your move window, travel and financing needs, then work backward with your lender and agent. Leave room for inspection and contract decisions.
How much should I budget for an Austin area home?
Build your budget from current homes and your own financing, including insurance, property taxes, association charges, closing costs and potential repairs. Ask your lender and insurer for property-specific estimates.
What should I ask Barrett on an introductory call?
Share your expected move window, work or other regular destinations, budget and the things you want from a home. Ask which areas he covers, how he would arrange a remote tour, how offer guidance works and what written terms apply. Bring a few listings and ask what you should independently verify before making a decision.
About Barrett Raven
Local context for your decision
Raven Residential Group at eXp Realty
TX Real Estate License #639278
Barrett Raven is founder and team lead of Raven Residential Group with eXp Realty, TX Real Estate License #639278, serving Greater Austin. He helps relocating buyers compare areas, homes and the questions to ask during a purchase. This article is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice.
Sources and further reading
- Austin Texas Safari Guide channel About
- Raven Residential Group buyer process
- Texas Legislature, residential buyer agreements
- Texas Real Estate Commission frequently asked questions
- Texas Real Estate Commission resale contract
- Texas Comptroller property tax basics
- Barrett Raven, relocation neighborhood video, December 2025
- If I Were Moving to Austin Texas in 2026...I'd Move Here!(Barrett Raven, YouTube)
