The Open House Podcast: Where Women Talk Real Estate

In this episode, Co-Founder Kristina is joined by her partner Eric! They discuss the tiny house he's been working on at Stef's home in L.A. Eric provides a glimpse into his personal experience of constructing a tiny house and budgeting for changes. Plus, he teases his current project: an upcoming coffee product. You'll have to listen in to learn more! ;)

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect with a Realtor
2. Shop LeverCraft Coffee tools
3. Homeschool on YouTube - includes advice on contractors!
4. The Tiny House Guide
5. Blog: "How to Build a Tiny House: From Costs to Construction"
6. Blog: "This $89K Pre-Built Tiny Home Covers My Entire Mortgage"
7. Blog: "Build a Tiny House: Permits & Process Resource List For Austin, TX"
8. Come to our next Community Meetup

Meet Chloe Kwon and Valerie Figlin, two determined women who embarked on a real estate journey together! Starting with no experience, they successfully navigated zoning, land development, and construction challenges to build a duplex from the ground up in East Austin (78702). Today, we discuss the invaluable role community and mentorship played in their story, as well as the importance of promoting financial independence and wealth building for women (YES!!!).

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect with a Realtor
2. Follow Chloe Kwon on Instagram
3. Check out the finished Airbnb 
4. Follow Valerie Figlin on Instagram 
5. Check out Be Here Now: Real Estate Investing + Development on Instagram
6. Join our Women Investor Group
7. Take our free Buying With Friends Mini-Course
8. Take our "How to Buy a House in Austin" Workshop

This week, we're sharing a fantastic episode from Factora's Coffee & Coin podcast featuring our Co-Founder Steph! Together, we cover new insights on the 40-year mortgage option and helpful tips on planning for a comfortable retirement, including: 

1. The story behind the FHA's introduction of the 40-year mortgage
2. The pros and cons of choosing a 40-year mortgage
3. The importance of savings rates and practical advice for crafting your retirement plan
4. A glimpse into our personal financial journeys, including recent decisions and wins

And, we're soo excited to be collaborating on a giveaway this week - that's closing very soon. If you're interested in winning 1) a free spot in Factora’s Fall 2023 Wealth Circle, 2) a Real Estate Investor Toolkit (including our house hacking calculator and exclusive Tiny House Guide!), and 3) a 1-on-1 wealth-building consultation with Factora’s Founder Allegra + Steph, enter now! https://factorawealth.lpages.co/factora-x-open-house-austin-giveaway/

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect With a Realtor
2. Enter Factora X OHA Giveaway
3. Learn more about Factora's Wealth Circle
4. TikTok: Why an FHA Loan Could Make Homeownership Possible For You
5. Blog: "Our 2022 First-Time Home Buyer Stats (Want to Buy a House in 2023? Read This!)" In case you missed it!

If you're in the market for a home, or even just curious about the current state of the housing market, this episode is a must-listen! It's now possible to purchase a home with less money upfront than ever before. And, the pandemic-era bidding wars have subsided (for now!). Kristina and Steph discuss how these factors play into what's ultimately a very personal decision based on your individual finances and goals! All the while, shedding light on house hacking strategies that've made their real estate gains and dream lives possible.

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect With a Realtor
2. Next Community Meetup 4/26: RSVP Here
3. Kristina in Japan -
4. TikTok: We're in Japan & Renting Out Our House
5. TikTok: The Most Charming Hotel in Okinawa, Japan
6. Stay Tiny Texas
7. Blog Post: What's a Sneaky Duplex?
8. Blog Post: How to Find Quality Roommates or Tenants
9. Blog Post: 8 Tips to Airbnb Out Your Space & Generate Passive Income
10. Blog Post: 5 Questions You Should Ask Your Mortgage Lender

We officially opened our small business in 2019! But what inspired Kristina and Steph to team up in the first place? And, how have we grown our tight-knit team of 8 agents and employees since? We've soared and stumbled along the way - learning a ton. Today, we're unpacking our most valuable lessons and passing them on to you!

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect with a Realtor
2. Meet our team
3. What is Open House Austin?
4. Join our Women Investor Group (we have monthly meetups!)
5. How to Buy a House in Austin Workshop series
6. Blog: "How To Buy, Renovate, and Profit from a Commercial Property in Austin as a 20-Something"
7. Blog: "Tripling Our Realtor’s Salary: How We Created a Unique, High-Earnings Team Structure"
8. TikTok: Pickleball Meetup, Co-Founder Steph Being #1 Coach of The Year
9. TikTok: Cheering Our Agents on as They Teach People How to Creatively Buy Homes
10. YouTube Short: Friends, Small Business Owners, & Real Estate Partners
11. YouTube Short: Meet My Co-Workers @ Our Office

Our agent team joins us to share their stories and stats from 2022. Alan, Sydney, Mandy, and Jenn share wins and unique client learnings from last year - and, how these lessons can be applied to the 2023 home-buying process!

If you want to see all the details of our first-time home buyer stats, check out our blog post with all the graphs and numbers! Ready to dive in and start the process? Our team is ready to help! You can book a call with our agents in Austin or we’ll connect you with a realtor we love in your area.

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect with a Realtor
2. Meet our team
3. Blog Post: "2022 First-Time Homebuyer Stats"
4. Blog Post: "2021 First-Time Homebuyer Stats"
5. Last year's version of this podcast!
6. Podcast: Buying a Home With Soul Friends to Build a Better, Community-Oriented Future Together
7. Join our Women Investor Group (we have monthly meetups!)
8. How to Buy a House in Austin Workshop series

Thanks to reality TV and aesthetic Instagram timelapses, home renovations are romanticized to the max. Let's be realistic for a minute and chat about the work that actually goes into updating a property. Steph and Kristina look back at their first reno experiences: as an 11 year-old along for the ride in Utah and a 25 year-old converting a run-down bakery in San Antonio, respectively! And, how they view the reno process today.

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect With a Realtor
2. Our friend's cabin outside of Asheville
3. Homeschool: Module 2 - Investor Lesson 1: Finding and Vetting Your Renovation Team
4. Homeschool: Module 5 - Investor Lesson 2: Planning for a Renovation
5. Blog: Buying a Fixer Upper Beach House With My Sister
6. Blog: 7 Easy DIY Improvements to Increase Home Value
7. Blog: How to Buy, Renovate, and Profit from a Commercial Property in Austin as a 20-Something
8. TikTok: Agent Jenn's bathroom reno
9. TikTok: Watch me take this house from 2005 to 2022

We're throwing it back! Early in our investment career, we closed on a property in San Antonio. We quickly realized it wasn't the right match for us, and our interest piqued when Steph heard about seller financing. We're sharing what that processed looked like for us, what we learned overall, and our return (because, yes - we did make it out alright!) on that property. 

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect With a Realtor
2. Mini-Course: Buying a House With Friends
3. Join our Women Investor Group
4. FREE First-Time Home-Buyer Course: Homeschool on YouTube
5. Sign up for our newsletter
6. How to Buy a House in Austin Workshop series

In 2022, 67% of homebuyers interviewed only one real estate agent during their home search! So, we've got to ask - are people settling on the first Realtor they meet? You wouldn't buy the first house you see, so shouldn't you shop around for your agent as well? We're sharing what sets one Realtor apart from the other! And, why it's totally okay to break it off with yours* if the vibes, support, or communication just isn't right. 

*DM us on Instagram @openhouse_austin if you'd like to talk through the break up phase!

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect with a Realtor
2. Want to buy a house in 2023? Take our workshop!
3. Browse Austin Homes (our search site!)
4. How to Buy a House in Austin eBook
5. Get connected with a Realtor outside of Austin

Searching for a welcoming space where you can make friends, ask questions, discuss real estate, and improve your financial literacy? Kristina and Steph attended event after investor event and simply couldn't find one. Their solution: creating Open House Austin's very own Women Investor Group! We have regular meetups at our office, and our Facebook Group is also active - great for any of y'all living outside of Texas. This week, we discuss our latest event which encouraged our members to discuss partnering to buy real estate through a casual "speed-dating" style setup. 💕

Get in Touch

Comments, suggestions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to hear more from Open House? Follow us on TikTok and check out our website!

Please stay tuned for more episodes every Tuesday, and subscribe so you don’t miss them! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple Podcasts.

Related Resources 

1. Connect with a Realtor
2. Join our Women Investor Group
3. FREE First-Time Home-Buyer Course: Homeschool on YouTube
4. Mini-Course: Buying a House With Friends
5. Steph's new podcast! A Circle is Round
6. Sign up for our newsletter
7. How to Buy a House in Austin Workshop series