Case study
A two-state move from Virginia: selling in one market, buying in another, closing over the holidays
Buyers selling a home in Virginia and buying in Austin met Cynthia Mattiza of Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty for a relocation consultation in March. A Sotheby’s advisor in Virginia handled the sale, they waited for the right market window, toured nearly a dozen homes, and closed during the holiday season.
- Client
- Out-of-state buyers relocating to Austin, introduced by a past client and a college friend. Details are anonymized.
- Area
- Austin
- First meeting
- March relocation consultation
- Homes toured on the trip
- Nearly a dozen
- Contract
- A few days after the first showing
- Closing
- During the holiday season
The situation
Out-of-state buyers were relocating to Austin. They were introduced to Cynthia by two people already in her world, a past client and an old college friend. Because they were selling a home in Virginia while buying in Austin, the transaction involved two markets. They first met Cynthia in March for a relocation consultation.
The constraints
- A home to sell in Virginia and a home to buy in Austin, which meant coordinating a sale and a purchase.
- Consistent communication between two markets and proper timing between the sale and the purchase.
- A preference to wait for the right market window rather than rush.
- A closing that would fall during the holidays.
The approach
Instead of rushing, the first conversation focused on the big picture: ideal timelines, a smart relocation strategy and what moving to Austin would realistically look like. Cynthia connected the buyers with a Sotheby’s advisor in Virginia to handle the sale of their current home while the two of them planned the move, and then they waited, patiently, for the right moment. Through summer and into fall they watched inventory and pricing so they could move decisively when the opportunity appeared.
The decision
On their house-hunting trip the buyers toured nearly a dozen homes across Austin. The very first home they saw ended up being the one: they felt it, and so did Cynthia. At that point her role shifted from showing agent to strategic advisor, making sure they acted quickly but thoughtfully.
The outcome
A few days after the first showing they were under contract. They closed during the holiday season, and from Christmas through New Year’s Eve Cynthia stayed connected with them through voice notes, late-night calls and strategy check-ins so the closing stayed smooth.
What others can take from it
- Waiting for the right market window can matter as much as finding the right home, because it lets you watch inventory and pricing and then move decisively.
- When you are selling elsewhere, a local advisor in that market helps keep the sale and the purchase in step.
- A focused house-hunting trip can work: these buyers toured nearly a dozen homes and knew at the first.
- Tight timelines and holiday closings are workable when communication is clear and the strategy is defined.
Keep going
Guide
Rent first, buy remotely or sell first: choosing your path when you move to Austin
Three paths for relocating to Austin: rent first, buy remotely or sell first. The questions that choose between them and what employer programs may change.
Guide
A two-day Austin scouting trip: what to test, visit and decide
A two-day itinerary for a West Austin scouting trip: real commute tests, community visits, home tours and a decision worksheet to take home.
Guide
Buying a home with RSUs in Austin: how lenders treat restricted stock
How Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac treat RSU income, vested stock, lockups and the $832,750 Travis County conforming limit, with sources. Educational only.
This account is based on what Cynthia has already published. Read the original (opens in a new tab)
Cynthia Mattiza