Austin as a Character in My Real Estate Story: Nepali Realtor

People often ask me, “Why Austin?” For me, Austin is not just a market. It is a character in my story.

It is the city that gave my wife and me our first jobs in the United States. It is where coworkers turned into friends, where the Nepali community slowly became visible, and where a diverse mix of cultures made us feel less like visitors and more like neighbors. The hospitality here is real. So is the ambition.

As I moved from Walmart into real estate, I began to see Austin through a different lens. The city’s growth was no longer just cranes in the distance—it was families trying to find homes near good schools, tech workers relocating from other states, and investors betting on Central Texas as a long‑term play. Neighborhoods like North Austin, Pflugerville, Round Rock, and Cedar Park each had their own rhythm, price trends, and futures.

My first three months as a new agent were humbling. No one knew my name. No one wanted to hire an “inexperienced” realtor. The phone was quiet more often than not, and I started to understand why many new agents leave the business before they ever close a deal.

Then a friend changed everything.

My good friend, Brett Frongner, had listened to me vent about not having any clients. A few days later, he called and said, “Roshan, why don’t you sell my house?” It was my chance—and if I’m honest, also a test.

We listed the home. I studied the comparable sales, watched the neighborhood carefully, and positioned the property strategically. Within a short time, we received a cash offer. The home sold for around $30,000 above the listing price, and we closed in just 10 days.

That transaction did more than pay a commission. It answered the question that had been growing quietly in my mind: “Do I really belong in this business?” The result said yes.

It also reinforced something important about Austin itself. This is a city where local knowledge matters. Understanding which neighborhoods are heating, which pockets are over‑priced, and which new developments are coming can mean the difference between a good decision and a regretful one.

That experience also helped me answer a question many buyers and sellers ask: “Is it better to work with a local Austin realtor?” My answer is yes—not because of loyalty to a title, but because a local realtor understands the streets, the schools, the builders, the traffic patterns, and the unspoken details that never show up in a national website’s algorithm.

Austin has shaped how I practice real estate. It taught me that this work is not just about properties. It is about reading the city’s story and helping people find their chapter in it.