Move to Auburn and somebody gives you an outrageous choice: free Auburn football tickets for life or free Auburn housing for life.
Which one are you taking?
There is obviously no real offer of either one, but it is a fun question—especially coming right off Auburn Homecoming weekend.
If you love Auburn football, lifetime tickets to Jordan-Hare Stadium sound pretty tempting.
On the other hand, anyone who has bought a home, made a mortgage payment, paid property taxes, maintained a house or watched Auburn grow over the years might have a hard time turning down free housing.
So, Auburn people: pick one.
And while we debate it, let’s talk about what actually matters if you are considering buying a home, selling a home or making a move to Auburn, Alabama.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• The Ultimate Auburn Question
• Move to Auburn: What Would You Choose?
• The Case for Free Auburn Football Tickets
• The Case for Free Auburn Housing
• What Auburn Housing Actually Looks Like
• Buying a Home in Auburn
• Selling a Home in Auburn
• Auburn Homecoming Weekend
• Jordan-Hare Stadium
• Tailgating on the Plains
• Thach and Haley Center Concourses
• Homecoming Floats and Alumni
• Toomer’s Corner After the Win
• Quick Q&A
• Auburn Real Estate Resources
• About Laura Sellers
MOVE TO AUBURN: WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Let’s establish the rules.
Option One:
Free Auburn football tickets for the rest of your life.
Option Two:
Free Auburn housing for the rest of your life.
You only get one.
No negotiating.
No asking whether the football tickets are on the 50-yard line.
No asking whether your free house is within walking distance of campus.
Pick one.
Personally, I think Auburn people could have a pretty lively argument over this one.
THE CASE FOR FREE AUBURN FOOTBALL TICKETS
If you have experienced an Auburn football Saturday, you already understand the appeal.
There is Tiger Walk.
There are tailgates stretching across campus.
There are thousands of shakers in the stands.
There is the eagle flight.
There is the band.
There is Aubie.
And then there is a packed Jordan-Hare Stadium on a fall Saturday.
For somebody who never wants to miss an Auburn home game, free tickets for life could be awfully difficult to reject.
You can learn more about Auburn athletics and Jordan-Hare Stadium through Jordan-Hare Stadium on Auburn Athletics.
THE CASE FOR FREE AUBURN HOUSING
Then we have Option Two.
Free Auburn housing for life.
That changes the conversation quickly.
Housing is one of the biggest expenses most people face.
And if you are considering moving to Auburn, there are plenty of housing choices to explore.
Auburn has established neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, condominiums, townhomes, properties convenient to Auburn University and homes farther from the center of campus activity.
You can explore Auburn subdivisions through my Auburn subdivisions guide and compare different communities and housing styles.
For people beginning their relocation research, my Move to Auburn guide also provides an overview of living and buying in the area.
FOOTBALL TICKETS VS. HOUSING
| Free Football Tickets | Free Auburn Housing |
|---|---|
| Auburn home games for life | A place to live in Auburn for life |
| Jordan-Hare Saturdays | No housing payment in our imaginary scenario |
| Tiger Walk and game-day traditions | Your own Auburn address |
| Football memories | Everyday Auburn living |
| Great Saturdays | Pretty compelling seven days a week |
I suspect some Auburn fans are still taking the tickets.
And that tells you quite a bit about Auburn football.
WHAT IS IT ACTUALLY LIKE TO BUY A HOME IN AUBURN?
Unfortunately, nobody is handing out free houses.
So if you are really planning to buy a home in Auburn, the first step is deciding what you need the property to do for you.
Are you relocating for a job?
Joining Auburn University faculty or staff?
Buying because you have a student attending Auburn?
Looking for a primary residence?
Moving from another part of Alabama?
Coming from another state?
Different goals can lead to very different property searches.
A buyer who wants convenient access to Auburn University may prioritize location differently from someone who wants more yard space or less game-day activity.
That is why I like to start with your actual daily life—not simply a list of houses.
Official information about the university is available through Auburn University.
AUBURN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT ALL THE SAME
Someone unfamiliar with Auburn can look at a map and think two properties seem relatively close together.
Living in those locations can still feel different.
Consider:
• Distance from Auburn University
• Game-day traffic patterns
• Property type
• Lot size
• HOA or neighborhood restrictions
• Parking
• Commute
• Shopping and daily errands
• Your preferred amount of activity around you
People researching schools should use official information from Auburn City Schools rather than relying on assumptions or third-party descriptions.
For shopping and everyday errands, buyers may also compare locations relative to places such as Auburn Mall and Opelika Tiger Town.
BUYING IS ONLY HALF OF AUBURN REAL ESTATE
Maybe you already own the Auburn house.
Now you are wondering whether it is time to sell.
Selling involves another set of questions.
What is your property competing against?
How should it be prepared?
What does recent comparable-sale information show?
How will you handle showing activity?
What happens when an offer arrives?
What terms matter besides price?
A seller needs more than someone willing to put a sign in the yard.
You need someone who can help you move from preparation and pricing through marketing, negotiations and closing.
If you are wondering where your property may stand in the current market, visit AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com to request a complimentary market analysis.
A SIMPLE AUBURN BUYER EXAMPLE
Imagine someone relocating to Auburn from Texas.
They have visited for football games and know campus fairly well.
They assume they want to live as close to Jordan-Hare Stadium as possible.
Then we start discussing ordinary life.
Where will they work?
How much space do they want?
Do they want a condominium or detached home?
How important is a yard?
What type of parking do they need?
How do they feel about football-weekend activity?
Suddenly, the search becomes much more specific.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to be close to Jordan-Hare Stadium.
There is also nothing wrong with deciding that everyday priorities matter more.
That is why relocation decisions should extend beyond what Auburn feels like on seven football Saturdays.
AND THEN THERE IS HOMECOMING
Of course, some weekends remind you exactly why Auburn football tickets were one of our imaginary choices.
Homecoming is one of them.
Auburn’s 2026 Homecoming weekend brought alumni, students, parents and visitors back to the Plains.
And there was plenty happening around Auburn.
HOMECOMING AROUND JORDAN-HARE STADIUM
On Saturday, September 26, Auburn played Vanderbilt at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The stadium was sold out.
Auburn won 21–15, extending its Homecoming winning streak to 35 consecutive games.
For the people who chose “free Auburn football tickets for life” at the beginning of this article, this is your section.
There is simply something different about being in Auburn on a football Saturday.
TAILGATING ON THE PLAINS
Long before kickoff, Auburn was busy.
Tailgating tents covered areas around campus.
Friends and families gathered.
There was food, music, football and plenty of orange and blue.
Homecoming adds another layer because alumni who may not have been in Auburn for years return to familiar places.
THACH CONCOURSE
Thach Concourse is one of those places that looks completely different depending on the day.
During Homecoming and football weekends, it becomes part of the stream of students, alumni, families and visitors moving across campus.
For someone thinking about moving to Auburn, it is also a reminder that living near a major university means the rhythm of the city changes throughout the year.
THE HALEY CENTER CONCOURSE
The Haley Center area offered another look at Homecoming activity.
Campus was alive with people returning to Auburn, current students enjoying the weekend and families experiencing Homecoming together.
It is one of those weekends when Auburn feels particularly connected to Auburn University.
HOMECOMING FLOATS AND TRADITIONS
Then there were the Homecoming floats.
Traditions like these are part of what distinguishes Homecoming from an ordinary football weekend.
For alumni, they can bring back memories.
For current students, they are part of creating new ones.
And for someone visiting Auburn for the first time, they offer a pretty good introduction to the Auburn spirit.
AFTER THE WIN: TOOMER’S CORNER
Then Auburn won.
And people headed toward Toomer’s Corner.
Toomer’s Corner was rolled after the Homecoming victory.
White toilet paper filled the trees and downtown.
Students, alumni, families and Auburn fans celebrated together.
If you have ever wondered why somebody might actually choose lifetime Auburn football tickets over lifetime housing, a rolled Toomer’s Corner after an Auburn win probably helps explain it.
AND YES, AUBIE WAS THERE
Aubie dancing around Toomer’s Corner after a Homecoming win?
That is hard to top.
It was one more memorable scene from a weekend filled with Auburn traditions.
BUT WHAT IS AUBURN LIKE AFTER THE CROWDS GO HOME?
This matters if you are actually considering a move.
Auburn is not Homecoming every day.
It is also grocery shopping on Tuesday.
Driving to work Wednesday morning.
Walking downtown.
Taking your dog outside.
Meeting someone for lunch.
Going to school.
Maintaining your house.
Sitting on your porch.
Living your regular life.
That is why buying a home here requires looking at Auburn as both a university town and the place where you will spend ordinary Mondays.
QUICK Q&A ABOUT MOVING TO AUBURN
What should I do first if I want to move to Auburn?
Start with your budget, timing, financing if needed, and what you want your daily life to look like. Then you can narrow the property search intelligently.
Can I buy a home near Auburn University?
There are homes, condominiums and townhomes at varying distances from Auburn University. Availability and prices change, so current listings are the best source for specific options.
Should I choose my home based on football weekends?
Game-day access can matter to some buyers, but consider your everyday commute, space requirements, parking, neighborhood restrictions and other priorities too.
Can you help me relocate from out of state?
Yes. I regularly work with people relocating to the Auburn–Opelika area and can help narrow the search before you arrive.
Do you help Auburn homeowners sell too?
Absolutely. I work with both buyers and sellers throughout Auburn and Opelika.
How do I find out what my Auburn home may be worth?
Contact me for a complimentary market analysis based on your property and relevant current market information.
RELATED AUBURN REAL ESTATE RESOURCES
Thinking about moving here? Read my Move to Auburn guide.
Want to compare communities? Explore Auburn subdivisions.
Relocating for work or Auburn University? Read my Relocate to Auburn guide.
Want to browse current Auburn housing options? Visit my Auburn homes and community information.
If you already own a home and are thinking about selling, visit AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com to start a conversation about your property.
SO…WHICH ONE ARE YOU PICKING?
Free Auburn football tickets for life?
Or free Auburn housing for life?
I have a feeling the answers could get interesting.
Fortunately, you do not have to choose between loving Auburn football and owning a home in Auburn.
If you are thinking about moving to Auburn, buying a home, relocating to the Auburn University area or selling a property you already own, I would be happy to help.
Laura Sellers is an Auburn University alumna who has lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988 and has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years. She is an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate — the Official Real Estate Partner of the Auburn Tigers.
Call or text Laura Sellers at 334-332-7263.
Homes, y’all!
