What people are asking about buying and selling in North Texas

Nobody can tell you where rates will go, and anyone who says they can is guessing. What I can do is show you what your monthly payment looks like today and what it would look like if rates move.

A rate can change later, but the price of the home and your options today are in front of you now. If you find the right home and the payment works, waiting may cost you the home. If the payment does not work, waiting makes sense. Talk to a lender for the live rate, because it changes often.

It depends on the city, the price range and the condition of the home, because a market is really many small markets. Some areas have seen sellers lower their price more often and homes sit longer than they did a few years ago. Other pockets have held their value.

For your street, I look at the closest recent sales, not a county average. Ask me for a free home value and I will show you the sales behind the number.

Texas has no state income tax, and local property taxes help fund schools, cities and counties. Your appraisal district sets your home's value each year, and each taxing unit sets its rate. The two together make your bill.

Bill amounts differ by address and by the districts that cover it, so I show buyers the tax picture for a specific home, not an average. Your tax advisor can answer how it fits your budget.

Yes. Texas homeowners can protest the appraised value each year if they think it is too high. The county appraisal district sends a notice, and there is a deadline to file, so check the date on your notice.

Recent nearby sales and the condition of your home help support a protest. I am glad to share the sales I see for your street.

North Texas storms bring hail and wind, and insurers have been adjusting what they charge and what they cover. Many policies have a separate wind and hail deductible, which can be a percentage of the home's insured value.

Get an insurance quote for the specific address before you make an offer, and ask about the roof's age. Your insurance agent can give you the real number. It belongs in your monthly budget.

Some newer communities are funded in part by a municipal utility district (MUD) or a public improvement district (PID). A MUD or a PID adds a charge on top of your regular property tax, and it can run for many years.

Ask for it early. The seller or builder can tell you whether a home sits in one, and your lender needs to include it in your payment. I check on every new-construction home I show.

New construction offers a warranty, newer systems and often builder incentives. Resale offers mature trees, finished yards and often more room to negotiate. Neither is better for everyone.

The builder's agent works for the builder, so I represent you in the contract, check what the incentives are worth and make sure you understand the extras that add cost.

Sometimes. A builder may offer to pay part of your closing costs or buy down your interest rate, and the value depends on the loan, the price of the home and how long you stay. Incentives can change quickly, and some require you to use the builder's lender.

I compare the incentive with a lower price and with other homes in your range, and your lender runs the real payment for each choice.

Seller concessions have become a normal part of many negotiations, and they depend on the home, its price and how long it has been listed. A well-priced home in demand may not need one.

If you are selling, I help you decide ahead of time what you would agree to. If you are buying, I tell you when asking is reasonable.

The most common reason is price. The next is condition, followed by photos, marketing and timing. A home that is priced for the market it is in tends to draw showings early.

If a home is not getting showings, the fix starts with the pricing review, not a longer wait. I explain how I decide when to change course.

Yes, you can sell as-is, which means you do not plan to make repairs. Buyers still inspect the home and may ask for a lower price or end the contract during the option period.

An as-is sale works best with a price that reflects the condition, and a pre-listing inspection helps you know what a buyer will find.

Written agreements before touring are now the normal practice. The agreement spells out what I do for you, how long it lasts and how I am paid, so there are no surprises later.

How an agent is paid is negotiable, and it is set in that agreement. Read it, ask me anything about it, and confirm the current rules with your agent's broker and the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Offers of compensation no longer appear in the MLS, so the question gets settled in the buyer agreement and in the contract. A buyer may pay the agent directly, or ask the seller to contribute as part of the offer, and a seller may or may not agree.

I explain how it works before you sign anything, so you know what you owe and when. For legal questions about the agreement, ask an attorney.

How an agent is paid is set in a written agreement, and it is negotiable. I explain exactly what I do for the fee, so you can judge the value.

I will not quote a standard number, because there is not one. Ask me for my agreement and I will walk through it with you.

Neither label fits every home. A well-priced, well-prepared home in a popular area can still draw several showings in the first weekend, while an overpriced one waits. A buyer has more room to negotiate on a home that has been sitting.

I tell clients what is happening on their specific price point and in their specific neighborhood, because that is the market they are actually in.

Closing costs are the fees to finish a sale, such as title, lender charges, prepaid items and recording. Who pays which cost is negotiated in the contract and depends on the loan and the deal.

Your lender gives you a written estimate early in the process. I walk through it with you so nothing surprises you at the closing table.

They are a starting point. They use public records and recent sales, and they cannot see your updates, your floor plan, your lot, or what is wrong with the house next door.

A real price comes from the closest recent sales and an honest look at your home's condition. That is what I build for you in a Plan A, B and C pricing review.

Once you are under contract, most purchases close in about thirty to forty-five days, depending on the loan and the home. The search before that depends on you: your budget, your must-haves and how many homes match.

The best way to shorten it is to meet with a lender first, so you shop knowing your numbers.

Start with a conversation with a lender about what you are comfortable paying each month, and then with me about what you want in a home. Those two answers set your search.

After that, we sign a buyer agreement, set up your search and start touring. I explain each step before it happens so you are never guessing.

Never send money based on an email alone. Before you wire funds, call the title company at a phone number you already trust, not one from the email, and confirm the instructions out loud.

Criminals copy real emails and change the account number at the last minute. A short phone call stops it.

The option period is a set number of days, agreed in the contract, when the buyer can have inspections done and can end the contract for any reason. The buyer pays an option fee for that right.

It is one of the most useful protections a Texas buyer has. I help you decide how many days to ask for and how to use them.

Most Texas home sales close at a title company with an escrow officer, not in an attorney's office. The title company holds the earnest money, checks the title and prepares the closing documents.

You can hire an attorney if you want one. For legal questions about your situation, an attorney is the right person to ask.

A homestead exemption lowers the taxable value of the home you live in as your main residence. You apply once with your county appraisal district, and the amounts and rules change when laws change.

Check the current amount with the appraisal district. I remind my clients to file after they close.

Most sellers of homes give the buyer a written Seller's Disclosure Notice about the condition of the property, including known problems with the structure and major systems. A flood-related disclosure is part of what Texas sellers provide as well.

Honest disclosure protects the seller too. I go through it line by line with my sellers before the home is listed. For legal questions, ask an attorney.

The Collin Central Appraisal District keeps the public record for each property, including the appraised value and the taxing units that apply. Your tax bill comes from those units, and each has its own rate.

If you are comparing homes in different cities, compare the full tax picture for each address, because two homes at the same price can have different bills.

Growth brings new neighborhoods, new roads and new shopping, and it also means plenty of new homes competing with resale homes. A seller with a resale home should know what the nearby builders are offering, and a buyer can use that to compare.

I watch both new and resale in each area and tell you how they compare for your price range.

Frisco spans both Collin and Denton counties, so the county, the appraisal district and the tax units can differ from one address to the next. The city has older neighborhoods and new construction side by side.

Tell me your price range and which part of town you like, and I will show you what is available and what each address costs to own.

By the numbers: Frisco has about 219,304 people, +23.9% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $150,212, an average commute of 28.6 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

McKinney is the Collin County seat, with a historic downtown and neighborhoods from several different decades. Some areas are established, and others are newly built.

Because the city has such a range, I look at a block and a builder, not just the city name, when I help you compare homes.

By the numbers: McKinney has about 210,600 people, +15.7% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $124,215, an average commute of 27.8 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

Plano is one of the older and more established cities in Collin County, and most of it is already built out. That means resale homes make up most of what is for sale, and many buyers update a home after they buy it.

I help you see what a home needs now and what it may need in a few years before you make an offer.

By the numbers: Plano has about 290,594 people, +1.2% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $112,253, an average commute of 25.4 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

Allen is an established city with a mix of neighborhood ages and layouts. Homes in a given neighborhood often share a floor plan style, which makes comparing recent sales straightforward.

I pull the closest sales for the neighborhood you like so you know what a fair price looks like.

By the numbers: Allen has about 110,265 people, +8.4% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $130,901, an average commute of 28 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

Prosper has grown quickly and has many newer homes and new communities. That makes it important to ask whether a home sits in a MUD or a PID, what the builder offers and which school district serves the exact address.

I check each of those for the homes you like, and I confirm district boundaries from the district's own information.

By the numbers: Prosper has about 37,869 people, +68.2% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $195,281, an average commute of 29.5 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

Celina is one of the fast-growing cities in the north of the county, with many new communities under construction. A home may be finished, under construction or not yet started, and the timeline and the incentives differ for each.

I help you compare a move-in-ready home with a build, and I check the taxes, the HOA and any MUD or PID before you sign.

By the numbers: Celina has about 34,268 people, +208.3% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $170,894, an average commute of 33.3 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

Little Elm sits near Lewisville Lake and is mostly in Denton County, with a small part in Collin County. Check the county, the tax units and the school district for the exact address, because they can differ.

I confirm those details for each home so your payment estimate is correct.

By the numbers: Little Elm has about 54,820 people, +19.3% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $119,219, an average commute of 34.6 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

Anna is in the northern part of Collin County, and it has added many new homes. A buyer there often compares builders, so I help you look at the floor plan, the incentives and the community's fees side by side.

I also confirm how long the drive to your work will take, because location in the north county changes your commute.

By the numbers: Anna has about 24,330 people, +86.4% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $105,593, an average commute of 30.7 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

Melissa is in the north of Collin County and has many newer neighborhoods. As with other growing cities, ask about builder incentives, community fees and any MUD or PID, and confirm the school district for the exact address.

I walk you through each of those so the price you see is the full cost of owning the home.

By the numbers: Melissa has about 20,136 people, +112.2% since the 2019 estimate, a median household income of $138,763, an average commute of 33.6 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey estimates). See the numbers

I start with the closest recent sales, then adjust for your home's updates, condition, lot and location. I show you three pricing paths, Plan A, Plan B and Plan C, with the sales behind each one and what I would do.

The goal is a price that fits the market you are actually in, so the home draws showings in the first weekend.

Fix what a buyer's inspector will find and what a buyer will see in the first ten seconds: safety items, leaks, peeling paint and a dirty entry. Skip big projects that will not return their cost.

I walk the home with you and make a short list in priority order, so you spend only where it helps.

For many sellers it is. It shows you what a buyer's inspector will find, lets you fix or price around it, and removes surprises during the option period.

I share the report with buyers' agents on my listings, so the buyer can make an offer knowing the condition.

Your net is the sale price minus your loan payoff, the costs of selling and any agreed repairs or credits. I build an estimate for you before we list, so you know the range.

The final numbers come from the title company, and your tax advisor can answer questions about taxes on the sale.

It depends on your finances, your timeline and how comfortable you are carrying two homes for a while. Selling first gives you certainty about your budget, and buying first gives you time to find the right home.

We lay out both paths with your numbers, and I coordinate the timing with your lender so the dates fit.

You are allowed to buy without one. An agent helps with the parts that are easy to miss: pricing the home, the contract's deadlines, the option period, the inspection and the negotiation.

I explain the why behind each recommendation, so you decide with the facts in front of you.

A strong offer is about more than price. The option period, the closing date, the earnest money and what you ask the seller to do all matter, and a lender's letter helps.

I look at what the seller needs and shape your offer to fit it, and I tell you where I think you have room to negotiate.

Earnest money is a deposit you make after the seller accepts your offer, held by the title company. It shows you are serious, and it goes toward your closing costs at closing.

The contract spells out when you can get it back and when you cannot, so I go through those dates with you.

The inspector sends a report. We decide together which items matter, and I ask the seller for repairs, credits or a price change, or you can end the contract during the option period.

I help you sort serious items from normal wear, so you ask for what matters.

Texas works differently, from the contract to the property tax system, and Texas has no state income tax. I moved here from California, so I know the questions you are asking.

We start with your timeline and budget, and I help you compare cities by what each address costs to own, not only the price.

Yes. I sell your Texas home and connect you with a trusted agent in the place you are moving to, so both ends of the move are handled.

We plan the sale around your move date.

People downsize for many reasons: too much house, a change in income, a move closer to family, or the wish for less upkeep. There is no right age or timeline.

We start with what you want from the next home and work backward, at a pace that suits you.

There is no right timeline. Some people want to move soon, and some need months. I listen first, then make the practical parts as light as I can and keep your attorney and family informed.

Questions about who has the authority to sell belong with your attorney.

Yes. A lender asks how you will use the home, as a second home or as an investment, and how far it is from your main home. Those answers can change the loan terms, so talk to your lender first.

I also own and operate a short-term rental in Destin, so I know both the buying side and the owner's side.

The numbers decide, and they can change once you open the walls. I flipped a house in Fort Worth that turned into a rental because the repairs ran past what a quick sale could cover.

We run the numbers for each path before you buy, and we keep room for surprises.

Choose and check your business name, form your entity, such as an LLC, and get your tax account in order. Then write the business plan basics and the budget, so you know what space you can afford.

I have a page that walks through those steps, and I help with fitness, medical and health properties.

Look for someone who explains the why behind a recommendation, shows you their process and tells you the truth when it is not what you hoped to hear. Ask how they market a home, how often you will hear from them and how they are paid.

I use the CLEAR method, which negotiates the whole deal, not only the price.

Every listing gets professional photos, a walkthrough video, its own website, an open house the first weekend and the North Texas MLS. For higher-priced homes I add paid ads, and I update you every week.

My goal is for the right buyers to see your home in the first days, when interest is highest.

I am with OnDemand Realty, a top 5% Dallas-Fort Worth brokerage group with offices in Frisco, Plano, Dallas, Fort Worth and Cedar Hill. We work in collaboration through training, support and relationships to get the best results.

You get me as your agent and a team of experienced people behind me.

I answer calls and messages as quickly as I can, and I tell you up front when I am with a client or a closing and when you will hear from me.

During a transaction you hear from me every week at a minimum, even if the news is that nothing has changed.