Become A Homeowner

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You're Probably Closer Than You Think

Most people who rent assume homeownership is years away. They have heard you need twenty percent down, perfect credit, and a spotless financial history, so they never even ask the question.

Here is the truth: most of what keeps renters renting is a myth, and the only way to know where you actually stand is to find out instead of assuming.

Becoming a homeowner is not a leap. It is a path, and it is more reachable than the noise online makes it sound.

What Is Actually True

  • 3%Minimum down on a conventional loan
  • 580Credit score for FHA at 3.5% down
  • $0Down for VA and USDA buyers
  • 5%Assistance available through Texas programs

Every number above is a published program guideline. None of them require twenty percent, and none of them require you to be certain before you ask.

Everything below is laid out plainly, with no jargon and no pressure. Read it, see where you land, and take the one first step that turns "someday" into a plan.

Find Out Where You Stand

One conversation with a lender replaces every assumption above with a real number. Any of these four can tell you what you qualify for today.

I recommend these lenders based on their expertise and service. I do not receive compensation for referrals.

The Buyer Timeline

From First Call To Keys

Ten stages, usually thirty to forty-five days from signed contract to keys. Tap any section to open it.

1–4 of 10

Steps 1–2 · Strategy Call → Full Pre-Approval

  1. Get Ready
    1
    Day One · 45 min

    Strategy Call

    Your timeline, your comfortable monthly payment, and whether now is the right time at all.

    Your Moves
    • Know your comfort number per month, not just a price ceiling
    • List three true must-haves
    • Sign a written buyer agreement so fees and expectations are clear before touring
    Where Buyers Slip
    • Houses before numbers. You fall for a home the plan can't support, then stretch the budget to keep it.
    • Budgeting by price, not payment. In Texas, taxes and insurance can add hundreds a month. A cheaper home in a high-tax area can cost more monthly than a pricier one next door.
    • Skipping the timing talk. Lease end, job start, and school calendar decide your closing date. Ignore them and you pay rent and a mortgage at the same time.
  2. 2
    Days 2–7

    Full Pre-Approval

    Income, assets, and credit verified, so sellers take your offer seriously and you see your real payment.

    Your Moves
    • Gather W-2s or tax returns, recent pay stubs, and two months of bank statements
    • Compare loan estimates from more than one lender
    • Ask for full cash to close, not just the down payment
    Where Buyers Slip
    • Pre-qualified is not pre-approved. One is a conversation, the other is verified. Listing agents can tell in seconds.
    • Talking to one lender. Small differences in rate and fees add up to thousands over the life of the loan.
    • Unexplained deposits. Large cash deposits or transfers have to be documented. Moving money around right before applying creates paperwork delays.
    • Forgetting closing costs. Down payment is only part of it. Lender fees, title, and prepaid taxes and insurance come due too.
  3. 3
    Weeks 1–2

    Narrow The Map

    Two or three areas that fit your commute and budget. Tax rates shift the payment as much as price.

    Your Moves
    • Drive the commute at rush hour
    • Compare total tax rates, including any MUD or PID
    • Check flood zones and school boundaries by address
    Where Buyers Slip
    • Searching everywhere. You burn weekends touring cities you were never going to choose.
    • Assuming city equals school district. In DFW, district lines often don't follow city limits. Two houses in the same city can be zoned to different schools.
    • Missing the MUD or PID. It shows up on your tax bill every year, not once at closing.
    • Skipping the flood map. In a high-risk flood zone your lender will require flood insurance, which changes the payment.
    Texas Detail

    Many newer communities sit in a MUD or PID that adds to the tax bill. Factor it in before you fall for the kitchen.

  4. Find & Win
    4
    Weeks 2–8

    Touring With Intent

    Fewer, better tours, with honest talk about what the photos hid and what repairs really cost.

    Your Moves
    • One photo and one note per home so they don't blur
    • Get insurance quotes on serious contenders early
    • Read the seller's disclosure before you offer
    Where Buyers Slip
    • Touring thirty homes. After about a dozen they blur together and fatigue starts choosing for you.
    • Buying the staging. Paint and light fixtures are cheap. Foundation, roof, layout, and lot are not. Judge the bones.
    • Waiting on insurance quotes. An older roof can make a home expensive or hard to insure. Find out before the offer, not after.
    • Hesitating on the right one. Good homes in good areas don't wait for a second weekend.
    Texas Detail

    Roof age and hail history drive insurance costs here, sometimes more than a few thousand in price.

  5. 5
    1–2 Days

    Write The Offer

    Price is one of six levers. Terms often win it, and several cost you nothing.

    Your Moves
    • Attach pre-approval and proof of funds
    • Set your walk-away number before emotions do
    • Have earnest money and option fee ready to send
    Where Buyers Slip
    • Competing on price alone. Closing date, option terms, and earnest money can beat a higher offer.
    • Cutting the option period too short. Looking strong is pointless if inspections and bids can't fit inside the window.
    • Waiving protections blind. Every waived contingency is a dollar amount you're agreeing to cover if something goes wrong.
    • Missing the three-day deadline. If the option fee isn't delivered on time, you can lose your right to terminate during the option period.
    Texas Detail

    Most resales use the TREC contract. Earnest money and option fee are typically due within three days of the effective date.

  6. Under Contract
    6
    Days 1–10 · Critical

    Option Period

    A paid, unrestricted right to walk away. Every real negotiation happens in this window.

    Your Moves
    • Book inspections the day you sign
    • Calendar the deadline with a two-day warning
    • Get specialist bids inside the window
    Where Buyers Slip
    • Waiting on a bid. When the clock runs out, so does your leverage, and walking away can cost your earnest money.
    • Assuming midnight. The deadline is 5:00 p.m. local time on the last day.
    • Handshake repair deals. A text saying "the seller will fix it" isn't binding. Agreed repairs belong in a signed amendment.
    • Deciding on the last day. Sellers need time to answer. Requests sent at 3:00 p.m. on the deadline rarely get a good deal.
    Texas Detail

    Under the TREC contract it ends at 5:00 p.m. local time on the last day, not midnight.

  7. 7
    Days 2–8

    Inspection & Repairs

    Foundation first in North Texas, then roof, HVAC, and sewer. Ask only for what matters.

    Your Moves
    • Walk the last hour with the inspector
    • Bring in a structural engineer if foundation is flagged
    • Pick your ask: repairs, price cut, or closing credit
    Where Buyers Slip
    • The twelve-page repair list. Ask for three real items and you get three. Ask for fifteen and you get nothing.
    • Skipping the specialist. A general inspector flags problems but doesn't diagnose them. Foundation and sewer need the right expert.
    • Letting the seller pick the contractor. Repairs often go to the cheapest bid. A price cut or credit lets you control the quality.
    • No inspection on new builds. New homes have defects too. Builders don't catch everything.
    Texas Detail

    Use a TREC-licensed inspector. Their reports follow a standard state format.

  8. 8
    Weeks 2–4

    Appraisal

    The lender confirms the value. A low number means renegotiate, cover the gap, or walk.

    Your Moves
    • Know whether you have appraisal protection before you sign
    • Decide how much of a gap you could cover, if any
    • If low, I send the appraiser comparable sales to review
    Where Buyers Slip
    • Waiving protection blind. If the home appraises $20,000 low, that gap comes out of your pocket at closing, not the loan.
    • Confusing appraisal with inspection. The appraiser checks value for the lender. It is not a review of the home's condition.
    • Panicking at a low number. It's a negotiation point, and a reconsideration with better comparables is sometimes possible.
    Texas Detail

    Appraisal rights live in the financing addendum and an optional appraisal addendum.

  9. 9
    Weeks 2–5

    Underwriting & Title

    The lender re-verifies everything. Closings slip here when paperwork sits in an inbox.

    Your Moves
    • Answer lender requests the same day
    • Bind homeowners insurance and send proof
    • Review your Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing
    Where Buyers Slip
    • New credit before closing. A new card, a car, or financed furniture can change your approval days before closing.
    • Job changes or big transfers. Lenders often re-verify employment and funds right before closing. Surprises restart the review.
    • Slow replies. A document request that sits over a weekend can push the closing date.
    • Insurance at the last minute. The lender needs proof of coverage before closing, and some carriers want a roof inspection first.
    Texas Detail

    A seller with an existing survey may sign a T-47 affidavit, which can save you a new one.

  10. Keys
    10
    Day 30–45

    Walk-Through & Closing

    Final walk, sign at title, keys at funding, usually the same day in Texas.

    Your Moves
    • Bring ID and cash to close by wire or cashier's check
    • Confirm wire instructions by calling a number you already know
    • Collect repair receipts and warranties
    Where Buyers Slip
    • Trusting emailed wire changes. Wire fraud targets closings. Always confirm by phone with a number you already have.
    • Rushing the walk-through. Run every faucet, appliance, and the HVAC. Once you sign, problems are yours.
    • Not reading the Closing Disclosure. Compare it to your loan estimate. Questions are easy before signing and hard after.
    • Forgetting utilities. Set up power, water, and internet transfers a week out so you don't move into a dark house.
    Then Do This

    File your homestead exemption with the county appraisal district once it's your primary residence.

Every stage is a place to gain ground or give it away.

Start With The Call · (214) 228-0003

Estimate Your Monthly Payment

The Payment Most Calculators Don’t Show You

Principal and interest is the easy part. In Texas, property taxes and insurance often add hundreds a month on top, and that is where relocation buyers get surprised at the closing table.

$
%
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%
Texas Costs Most Calculators Skip
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Starting estimates, not quotes. Tax rates vary by city, county, school district, and any MUD or PID tied to the community. Insurance varies by carrier, roof age, and claims history. Edit every field to match your situation.

Estimated Monthly Payment

$0

  • Principal & Interest$0
  • Property Taxes$0
  • Insurance$0
  • PMI$0
  • HOA$0
Loan Amount$0
Taxes + Insurance$0/mo

Talk Through Your Numbers

Get A Real Pre-Approval

A calculator gives you a ballpark. A lender gives you a number you can write an offer with.

I recommend these lenders based on their expertise and service. I do not receive compensation for referrals.

Read This Before You Trust Any Payment Estimate

The Same House Costs Different Money Depending On The Address

Texas property taxes are not one rate. They are a stack of separate taxing entities, and two homes fifteen minutes apart can differ by more than a full percentage point. On a $325,000 house, that gap is real money every month for as long as you own it.

HOA Dues $0
Combined Tax Rate 2.10%
Monthly Carry $569
Versus an established neighborhood Baseline
$

Established Neighborhood

    The One Nobody Warns You About

    MUD rates are highest when the community is newest. The district issues bonds to build the infrastructure up front, and the homeowners who have closed carry that debt. If a developer planned two thousand lots and four hundred have sold, those four hundred owners are servicing the whole thing. Rates in partially built communities commonly run $1.20 to $1.50 per $100 of value, against $0.35 to $0.50 in a district that has been building for twenty years.

    That is the phase-one tradeoff. You get first pick of lots and a lower purchase price. You also pay the highest tax rate that community will ever charge, and it declines slowly as the rest of the neighborhood fills in.

    How To Find Out Before You Buy

    • Read the disclosure, do not skim itTexas requires MUD disclosure on the standard TREC seller's disclosure form. It arrives inside a stack of paperwork and it is the page people sign past.
    • Check Schedule C of the title commitmentYour title company lists every special district, assessment lien, and standby fee tied to the property. Review it before your option period expires.
    • Pull the address on the county appraisal district siteEllis, Dallas, Kaufman, and Johnson CAD all list every taxing entity attached to a specific parcel, free and public.
    • Ask whether the PID can be paid offMany PIDs allow prepayment of the remaining assessment in a lump sum. Worth pricing against carrying it for the full term.

    Illustrative rates for comparison only. Actual combined rates vary by county, city, school district, and the specific parcel, and are set annually by each taxing entity. MUD rates differ substantially between districts and decline as bond debt retires. PID assessments are frequently fixed per-lot charges rather than a percentage of value, and homestead exemptions generally do not reduce them. Homestead and other exemptions are not reflected above. Verify the exact rate and any special district for a specific address with the county appraisal district and your title commitment before making a decision.

    Run The Real Math

    When Does Buying Beat Renting?

    Most rent-versus-buy calculators leave out Texas property taxes and insurance, which is exactly why their answers do not hold up here. This one includes both.

    Renting Now
    $
    %
    Buying Instead
    $
    %
    %
    %
    Texas Carrying Costs
    %
    $

    The model also assumes closing costs of 2.5% up front, annual maintenance of 1% of home value, and mortgage insurance where the down payment is under 20%. Selling costs of 6% are subtracted when comparing net positions.

    Buying Pulls Ahead At

    Year 4

    Stay longer than this and owning wins

    Yr 1Yr 5Yr 10
    Renting cost Owning net cost
    Rent Paid, 5 Years$0
    Equity Built, 5 Years$0
    • Monthly payment, year one$0
    • Cash needed up front$0
    • Rent by year ten$0

    The number that matters is how long you plan to stay. Under the breakeven, renting is often the smarter financial call and I will tell you so. Past it, every month you rent is a month of equity going to someone else.

    Find Out Where You Stand

    Illustrative estimate, not financial advice or a guarantee of any outcome. Results depend on assumptions you control above, and real markets do not move in straight lines. The model does not account for the mortgage interest or property tax deduction, investment returns on money not spent on a down payment, rent concessions, special assessments, or major repairs. I am a REALTOR®, not a financial advisor, tax advisor, or licensed mortgage loan originator. Consult the appropriate professional before making a decision this size.

    North Texas Market Insider™ · First-Time Buyers

    The Questions People Actually Ask Me First

    Eighteen honest answers on down payments, credit, cost, timing, and the North Texas realities national guides never mention. This is education, not a loan quote. I am a REALTOR®, not a lender, and the financing figures below are published program guidelines rather than promises about your file.

    Do I need twenty percent down to buy a house?

    No, and this is the most expensive misunderstanding in residential real estate.

    Per NerdWallet's 2025 Home Buyer Report, 62 percent of Americans believe a 20 percent down payment is required. Fannie Mae's research found roughly 90 percent of consumers either overstate the minimum or do not know it.

    The actual minimums: Conventional 3 percent. FHA 3.5 percent at a 580 score. VA zero. USDA zero. On a $325,000 home, 3 percent is $9,750, not $65,000.

    Twenty percent is the threshold where private mortgage insurance stops applying on a conventional loan. It has never been a requirement to buy. Those are two different facts, and confusing them keeps people renting for years longer than necessary.

    What credit score do I need to buy a house?

    Lower than most people assume. Fannie Mae found that 32 percent of consumers either do not know the minimum or significantly overestimate it.

    Conventional: generally 620. FHA: 580 for 3.5 percent down, or 500 to 579 with 10 percent down. VA: no agency minimum, with lenders commonly requiring 580 to 620. USDA: no agency minimum, though automated approval effectively needs around 640.

    Those are program minimums, not lender minimums. Individual lenders add overlays that commonly push the bar 20 to 40 points higher. A no from one lender is not a no everywhere.

    Also worth knowing: your mortgage score is not the number on your phone. Lenders pull a tri-merge report using older mortgage-calibrated FICO models and take the middle of three scores. Gaps of 20 to 80 points against consumer apps are normal.

    How much total cash do I need to buy a house?

    Down payment plus closing costs, and people almost always forget the second half.

    Buyer closing costs in Texas commonly run 2 to 5 percent of the purchase price. On a $350,000 home that is roughly $7,000 to $17,500, covering lender fees, title fees, prepaid interest, your first year of homeowner's insurance, and funding your escrow account.

    Add inspection costs during the option period, typically a general inspection plus specialty inspections where warranted.

    Two things that reduce it. In Texas the seller customarily pays for the owner's title policy. And seller concessions toward closing costs are near record levels, which changes the cash-to-close conversation more than any other single negotiation point.

    How much house can I actually afford?

    Two different answers, and you need both.

    What a lender will approve is driven by debt-to-income ratio. Conventional files run through Desktop Underwriter can reach 50 percent back-end DTI. FHA files can go higher with compensating factors.

    What you should actually spend is usually less. The traditional benchmark is 28 percent of gross income toward housing and 36 percent toward all debt, and it exists for a reason.

    Lenders approve based on your ability to repay, not your ability to live. A maximum approval is a ceiling, not a target, and the gap between the two is where people get house poor.

    Should I wait for interest rates to drop before buying?

    Here is the honest answer, including the part that does not help me.

    Nobody knows where rates go. Anyone who tells you with confidence is guessing with conviction. What is knowable is the tradeoff you are making while you wait.

    Waiting means continuing to pay rent that builds you nothing, while prices in a growing market may or may not hold. If rates fall and prices rise, you traded one problem for another.

    What is within your control: you can refinance a rate. You cannot refinance a purchase price. And a rate buydown negotiated as a seller concession is available right now in a market where nearly half of sellers are offering concessions.

    Sometimes waiting is right, and when it is, I will say so. The wrong reason to wait is a rate forecast nobody can make. The right reason is a specific gap in your finances with a plan attached.

    What down payment assistance is available in Texas?

    More than most buyers ever check. Roughly 70 percent of U.S. adults do not know down payment assistance exists in their area.

    TDHCA runs My First Texas Home and My Choice Texas Home, both offering up to 5 percent as a deferred zero-interest second lien. My Choice is the one nobody knows about, because it is open to repeat buyers.

    TSAHC runs Home Sweet Texas, open to all eligible buyers, and Homes for Texas Heroes for teachers, police, firefighters, EMS, corrections officers, nurses, and veterans. Assistance runs up to 5 percent as either a non-repayable grant or a deferred second lien.

    Credit requirements: generally 620 for FHA, VA, and USDA, but 640 for HFA conventional loans. Scores between 620 and 639 on government loans carry an added lender fee.

    All programs carry county income limits, purchase price caps, a homebuyer education requirement, and the need for an approved lender. Not every lender originates these.

    What counts as a first-time buyer?

    For most program purposes, anyone who has not owned a principal residence in the past three years.

    That definition catches far more people than the phrase suggests. If you owned a home four years ago and have been renting since, you likely qualify as a first-time buyer again for assistance program purposes.

    Veterans and buyers purchasing in targeted areas are generally exempt from the requirement entirely. And TDHCA's My Choice Texas Home does not require first-time status at all.

    Do not disqualify yourself from money you have never checked your eligibility for. This is the single most common reason people skip programs they would have received.

    What is the difference between pre-qualified and pre-approved?

    Three levels, and sellers know the difference even when buyers do not.

    Pre-qualification is an estimate based on numbers you stated. Nothing verified. Useful for orientation, worth very little in a negotiation.

    Pre-approval adds a credit pull and documentation review. This is the letter that makes your offer credible.

    Fully underwritten, sometimes called TBD approval, means a human underwriter reviewed your complete file and approved it subject only to finding a property and a clean appraisal and title.

    Get fully underwritten before you shop. It makes you functionally a cash buyer waiting on a house, and in a competitive situation that is the cheapest leverage you will ever buy.

    What is PMI, and how do I get rid of it?

    Private mortgage insurance protects the lender, not you, and it applies on conventional loans when you put down less than 20 percent.

    The critical part is that conventional PMI is cancellable by federal law. You may request removal at 80 percent loan-to-value, and it terminates automatically at 78 percent if you are current on payments.

    FHA mortgage insurance behaves differently and this catches people. FHA charges an upfront premium of 1.75 percent financed into the loan, plus an annual premium. With less than 10 percent down, that annual premium is permanent for the life of the loan. The only exit is refinancing into a conventional loan.

    FHA's life-of-loan premium is the most expensive misunderstanding in lending. If you can qualify conventional at 3 percent down, run both scenarios over the years you actually plan to stay.

    What are the actual steps to buying a home?

    Per NAR's 2025 profile, 38 percent of first-time buyers said understanding the steps and process was their single biggest challenge. Here is the order.

    One. Talk to a lender and get fully underwritten. Two. Sign a representation agreement with an agent, now required in Texas before touring. Three. Narrow the geography before you narrow the house.

    Four. Tour and write an offer. Five. Option period, inspections, and repair negotiation. Six. Appraisal and final underwriting. Seven. Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing, then sign and fund.

    The order matters more than the speed. Almost every difficult transaction I have seen started with someone touring homes before they had financing handled.

    How long does the whole process take?

    Faster than most people expect once the preparation is done.

    Financing: a few days to a couple of weeks to get fully underwritten, assuming your documents are gathered.

    Searching: entirely variable. Narrowing the corridor before you drive it shortens this more than anything else.

    Contract to closing: commonly 30 to 45 days. ICE Mortgage Technology has reported an average near 42 to 43 days in recent years. Cash purchases can close in one to three weeks.

    From a serious start to keys in hand, six to ten weeks is reasonable for a prepared buyer who finds the right house without a long search.

    Can I buy a house with student loan debt?

    Usually yes, and the calculation differs enough between programs that the same borrower can fail one and pass another.

    Fannie Mae uses 1 percent of the balance, or a documented payment including a documented $0 income-driven payment. Freddie Mac uses 0.5 percent when the reported payment is zero. FHA uses the actual payment, or 0.5 percent of the balance if the payment is zero.

    That is not a technicality. On a $60,000 balance, the difference between the 1 percent and 0.5 percent calculations is $300 a month in your debt-to-income ratio, which can be tens of thousands of dollars in purchasing power.

    If one lender says the student loans disqualify you, that is one program's math, not a verdict. Ask what happens under the other agency's guidelines before you accept the answer.

    Do I have to sign a buyer agreement, and who pays my agent?

    Yes, and this changed recently enough that most buyers have not caught up.

    Texas SB 1968 amended the Real Estate License Act, and effective January 1, 2026, Occupations Code §1101.563 requires a written agreement between a buyer and a license holder before that agent shows residential property. This is state law binding every license holder in Texas, broader than the NAR settlement that took effect in August 2024.

    Texas allows three forms: a long representation agreement, a short representation agreement, and a non-representation showing-only agreement. Know which one you are signing.

    On who pays: compensation is negotiable and always was. In most transactions the seller still covers it through a negotiated concession, but it is now disclosed in writing rather than assumed.

    Why did my property tax bill jump the year after I bought?

    Because the homestead cap that was protecting the previous owner does not transfer to you.

    Texas limits annual increases in appraised value to 10 percent for homesteaded properties. A seller who owned for a decade may have been paying tax on a value well below market because that cap compounded in their favor.

    When the property sells, the value resets to market. And the cap does not begin protecting you until you have owned and homesteaded the property for a full year, which means a buyer who closes in 2025 generally sees no cap protection until 2027.

    Never budget from the seller's current tax bill. Ask what the taxes will be at your purchase price with your exemption, not what the previous owner was paying.

    How much are property taxes in Ellis County, and what is the homestead exemption?

    Texas has no state income tax and the tradeoff is comparatively high property taxes.

    Combined Ellis County rates commonly run near 2 percent, ranging from roughly 1.99 percent in Midlothian to 2.15 percent in Ennis, with Waxahachie near 2.05 percent. Your exact rate depends on which city and school district your address falls in.

    The school district homestead exemption is now $140,000, increased from $100,000 under Proposition 13, approved by Texas voters on November 4, 2025. Homeowners 65 or older and disabled homeowners receive an additional amount on top.

    File it. The exemption is not automatic, it applies to your principal residence, and missing the filing costs you real money for a full year.

    What is a MUD or PID, and how is it different from an HOA?

    Three separate things that stack, and most buyers only ask about the HOA.

    A MUD is a Municipal Utility District, a separate taxing entity created to finance water, sewer, and drainage where the city has not extended service. It appears as an additional line on your tax bill. New-construction MUD rates commonly run $0.80 to $1.40 per $100 of value, and partially built districts can run higher because fewer homeowners are carrying the same bond debt. Rates decline over decades as debt retires.

    A PID is a Public Improvement District funding amenities and infrastructure through an assessment attached to the lot. It is frequently a fixed amount rather than a percentage, so it does not scale with your value and homestead exemptions generally do not reduce it. Many PIDs can be prepaid in a lump sum.

    An HOA is neither. Dues are a private monthly obligation, they are not tax deductible, and lenders count them in your debt-to-income ratio.

    Eligibility is address-specific, not city-wide. Read the disclosure, check Schedule C of your title commitment, and pull the parcel on the county appraisal district site before your option period expires.

    Why is homeowners insurance so expensive in DFW?

    Because North Texas sits in the most hail-active corridor in the country, and premiums reflect it.

    Dallas-area homeowners commonly see annual premiums in the range of $5,400 to $6,300, against a Texas statewide average near $4,085 and a national average closer to $2,490. Texas logged 878 major hail events in 2024, and State Farm alone paid roughly $1.4 billion on Texas hail claims in 2025.

    Two things that follow from this. Separate wind and hail deductibles, commonly 2 percent of dwelling coverage, are now standard. And roof age drives insurability — as roofs age, carriers switch to actual cash value coverage or decline the roof entirely.

    Class 4 impact-resistant roofing earns premium credits commonly in the 20 to 35 percent range. Get an insurance quote during your option period, not after. A home you cannot insure affordably is a home you cannot close on.

    What else should I know about buying in North Texas specifically?

    Three things that hit differently here.

    Foundations. DFW sits on Blackland Prairie expansive clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, stressing slabs year-round. The distinction that matters is not repaired versus never repaired. It is documented versus undocumented. A transferable warranty plus an independent engineer's letter is a manageable disclosure. An expired warranty from a company that no longer exists is not.

    Earnest money. Typically around 1 percent of purchase price in Texas, held by the title company and credited to you at closing. It is refundable during your option period and within your contract's contingency windows.

    Geography is money. Fifteen minutes apart in this metro can mean a hundred thousand dollars, a different school district, a different tax rate, and a completely different commute. Pick the corridor before you pick the house.

    Still have a question that is not here? That is usually the one worth asking out loud. Tell me where you are and I will give you the honest next move, even when the honest answer is wait six months.

    Call Bobby · (214) 228-0003

    This is general education, not a loan offer, a rate quote, a commitment to lend, or legal, tax, or insurance advice. I am a REALTOR®, not a licensed mortgage loan originator, financial advisor, tax advisor, or insurance agent. Financing figures are published agency or program guidelines as of 2026; individual lenders apply stricter overlays, and loan limits, mortgage insurance rates, assistance program terms, income limits, and purchase price caps are reviewed periodically. Property tax rates are adopted annually by each taxing entity and vary by parcel. Insurance premium figures are metro averages that vary widely by roof age, coverage, and carrier. Confirm your specific numbers with the appropriate licensed professional and with the Ellis Appraisal District or your county appraisal district.

    Bobby Franklin, REALTOR® Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team 214-228-0003
    Go Deeper

    Guides For Each Step Of The Way

    Written for North Texas specifically, not scraped from a national template. Read the one that matches where you are and ignore the rest until you need them.

    Before You Start

    While You Are Looking

    Once You Are Under Contract

    Bobby Franklin Realtor®

    Bobby Franklin

    Realtor®

    Serving DFW | Ellis County
    16 Northgate Dr. Ste 100

    Waxahachie, TX 75165

    Ready To Be A Homeowner?

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