Buying in North Texas Takes Preparation.
I'll Make Sure You Have It.

In Texas, buyer's agent compensation is negotiable and is now disclosed separately from the listing agreement. In most transactions, the seller offers to pay the buyer's agent commission as part of the overall transaction. We'll have a direct conversation about compensation at the beginning of our relationship — before you sign anything — so you understand the terms clearly. In many cases, your representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

Yes — and I mean a real pre-approval, not a pre-qualification estimate. In the Plano and Frisco markets, listing agents routinely call to verify a buyer's financing before advising their seller on an offer. A weak or missing pre-approval is often enough to put you at a disadvantage before negotiations even start. It also protects you from falling in love with a home you can't actually buy.

The option period is a negotiated window — typically 5–10 days — during which you have the unrestricted right to terminate the contract for any reason. It's activated by paying an option fee directly to the seller (typically $500–$1,000), which is non-refundable but usually credited toward your closing costs. During this period, you'll complete your home inspection and negotiate any repairs or credits. If you terminate within the option period, your earnest money is returned. After it expires, termination is more complicated and you may forfeit your earnest money.

It varies significantly depending on how specific your criteria are and how active the market is when you start. Most buyers I work with go under contract within 4–10 weeks of beginning their active search. From accepted offer to closing, a financed purchase typically takes 30–40 days. Total timeline from first conversation to keys: plan for 60–90 days minimum, though some buyers move faster and some take longer.

A Buyer Representation Agreement is a contract that formally establishes our working relationship. It defines the scope of services I'll provide, the geographic area and property type we're working with, the duration of our agreement, and how I'll be compensated. Texas law now requires this agreement to be signed before I can show you properties. I'll walk you through it in detail before I ask you to sign anything — no surprises.

This is one of the most situation-specific questions in real estate — the right answer depends on your financial position, risk tolerance, the current market conditions for both buying and selling, and how competitive your price range is. Selling first gives you certainty on proceeds but adds pressure to your buying timeline. Buying first is cleaner but requires carrying two properties temporarily. There are bridge solutions as well. I'll work through the options with you based on your specific circumstances — this isn't something to decide from a blog post.

When a home appraises below the contract price, both parties have options: the seller can reduce the price, the buyer can cover the gap in cash, or the two can negotiate a middle ground. In competitive offer situations, some buyers agree in advance to cover a certain appraisal gap — we'll discuss whether that makes sense based on the specific home and market conditions before you're in that situation.