Complete Homebuyer Guide
Texas Real Estate Sales Agent #454749, AXEN Realty LLC · Senior Loan Officer, NMLS ID #877741, NEXA Mortgage, LLC
The complete step-by-step walk through buying a home in Texas: credit and budget, pre-approval, loan selection, down payment and closing costs, shopping, offer, inspection, and closing. Every stage links to a deeper guide written for real buyers.
Patrick's Quick Answer
The route to the keys runs through nine stages: credit and budget, affordability, pre-approval, loan selection, down payment and closing costs, shopping, offer, inspection and appraisal, then underwriting and closing. From a clean start to keys expect a few months, and the six-month countdown keeps every step on schedule. I guide buyers through each stage so nothing surprises you.
Buying a home is a process with a beginning, middle, and end, and the buyers who close without stress are the ones who know what comes next at every step. The first move is not browsing listings; it is getting your finances ready and your pre-approval in hand so you know your real number. Here is the roadmap I walk every buyer through, with the deeper guide for each stage linked so you can go as deep as you need.
Check Your Credit and Finances First
Your credit score and debt-to-income ratio decide which loan programs and rates you qualify for. In Patrick’s teaching, a score around 620 opens the conventional door, while FHA can work from 580 in the right cases, and VA and USDA loans have their own eligibility rules. Pull your credit reports, correct errors you can fix, and avoid new debt in the months before you apply.
Figure Out What You Can Really Afford
A pre-qualification estimate is a starting point, not a budget. The real number comes from income, monthly debts, down payment savings, and the property tax and insurance costs of the area you are buying in. In Texas, taxes and insurance run through your monthly payment, so two houses at the same price can have very different payments depending on the tax jurisdiction.
Get Pre-Approved Before You Shop
Pre-approval tells you your exact buying power and makes any offer you write credible to the seller. It takes about a day when your documents are ready, and it lets your loan officer structure the loan, the down payment assistance, and the seller concessions before you ever tour a home.
Choose the Right Loan Program
Conventional loans start around 3% down, FHA allows 3.5% down with a 580 score, VA and USDA offer zero-down paths for eligible buyers, and Texas down payment assistance programs can shrink your cash to close even further. The right program depends on your credit, your cash position, and how long you plan to stay.
Know Your Down Payment and Closing Costs
Down payment and closing costs are two different pots of money. Closing costs in Texas typically run 2% to 5% of the purchase price on top of the down payment. Down payment assistance, seller concessions, and rate buydowns can each lower what you bring to the table, and they work best when they are planned together instead of discovered at the end.
Shop With a Clear List, Not Just Listings
Compare homes on school districts, commute, condition, tax jurisdictions, and what each price gets you, not just the photos. New construction and resale each have their own process, so know which you are actually shopping before you spend weekends touring.
Make a Strong Offer and Protect Yourself in the Contract
In a multiple-offer market, the strongest offer is not always the highest price. Financing strength, earnest money, appraisal gap coverage, and a sensible option period all matter. In Texas, the option period is your window for inspections and due diligence, so use it before you are locked in.
Use the Inspection and Appraisal as Intelligence
The inspection tells you about condition and repair risk; the appraisal tells the lender the property is worth the price. Both can trigger negotiation. The goal is a deal you can close with confidence, not a deal that looks good on paper.
Underwriting and the Final Stretch to Closing
After your offer is accepted, your loan file goes through underwriting: income, assets, credit, and the property are all verified. Stay steady with your finances during this window, respond to document requests quickly, and do not change jobs, open credit, or move money in ways that surprise your underwriter.
What Happens Between Contract and Closing
Once your offer is accepted, the clock starts: earnest money goes to the title company, the option period opens your window for inspections and due diligence, the appraisal orders, and underwriting verifies your file. In Texas, closing typically lands 30 to 45 days after acceptance, and your loan officer sends a Closing Disclosure that itemizes your final numbers before you sign. The 90 days of work happen quietly, but each step protects you from a costly surprise at the table.
Your Next Step Resource Map
Go Deeper on Any Stage
First-Time Homebuyer Guide
The full walkthrough from readiness to keys.
Free First-Time Homebuyer eBook
The Essential First-Time Homebuyer Roadmap.
The Complete Buyer’s Roadmap (Blog)
Every stage covered in one detailed post.
Get Pre-Approved
Find out your real buying power.
Texas Down Payment Assistance
Grants and forgivable loans that cut cash to close.
VA Home Buying Guide
VA loans for eligible veterans and service members.
Ask Patrick
Over 120 home buying questions answered in plain language.
Book a Discovery Call
Map your loan options with Patrick directly.
Ready for a personalized walkthrough?
Book a free discovery call and we will map your credit, budget, loan options, and cash to close together.
About Patrick Kevin Fagan, REALTOR®
Patrick Kevin Fagan is a Texas Real Estate Sales Agent (#454749) with AXEN Realty LLC and a Senior Loan Officer (NMLS ID #877741) with NEXA Mortgage, LLC (NMLS #1660690). He brings 23+ years in mortgage lending and 19 years in real estate, serving homebuyers with real estate throughout Greater San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country and home loans statewide across Texas.
