Buying Your Next Home, Without the Guesswork
How to choose the right home, and get the right deal on it.
Let's get you home
Buying a home usually starts with a lender and a login to a home-search app. It should start with a real conversation about what you want and whether the plan makes sense. That's why I start every buyer relationship with a consultation, not a showing.
You can find houses on your own. What's harder is knowing which one is right, what it's worth, and what you're agreeing to when you sign. Most buyers I meet don't need someone to show them more houses. They need someone to help them know when they've found the right one.
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The CLEAR Real Estate Method, for buyers
I use the same five steps with buyers that I use with sellers. See how buying works with me.
- C: Clarify the Objective. What your next home has to do for you, and by when.
- L: Look at the Whole Picture. Budget, financing, commute, schools, taxes, HOA and resale.
- E: Evaluate the Options. Resale or new construction, which town, which tradeoffs.
- A: Activate the Strategy. A focused search, and an offer plan ready before the right home appears.
- R: Respond and Negotiate. Price, repairs, concessions and builder incentives, through closing.
I'll tell you what I see on every home, and what I recommend. Then you decide.
The buyer consultation
It runs 60 to 75 minutes, before we see any homes. It's the most useful hour of the whole search. We cover:
- Goal-setting. What you want, your timeline and what matters most.
- Wishlist and reality check. What exists in your range, so we're not chasing something that doesn't.
- The buying process. The full path from today to keys in hand, so nothing catches you off guard.
- How we'll work together. Communication, offer strategy, and what I need from you and when.
- Pre-approval check. Confirming you're ready to write a competitive offer when the right home shows up.
- Your questions.
- The next step. If it's a fit, we sign a buyer representation agreement and set up your search.
The buyer representation agreement is signed at the consultation, and always before any showing. It spells out what I do for you and how I'm paid. Everything in it is negotiable, and I walk you through each part so you understand it before you sign.
Your pre-approval, and the number that matters
A pre-approval is your lender's answer to one question: how much are they willing to lend you? It's an important first step, and it lets you write an offer the day the right home appears.
It isn't the number that decides how your next few years feel. That number is your monthly cost of owning:
- The loan payment
- Property taxes, which vary by neighborhood
- HOA dues, if the home has them
- Homeowners insurance
- Upkeep and repairs
A lender can tell you what you qualify for. Only you can tell me what payment feels comfortable. I'll help you see what a home costs to own, not only what it costs to buy, so you choose a number you can live with.
Questions worth asking your lender:
- What documents do you need from me, and by when?
- How long will my pre-approval last?
- What could change my approval before closing?
- Which costs should I expect besides the loan payment?
Your lender has the answers about your loan. I'll make sure you know what to ask.
From offer to keys, in Texas
Once your offer is accepted, here's how it works.
- Earnest money. A deposit that shows you're serious. It's negotiated on each offer and is usually around 1% of the price. You deliver it to the title company, which holds it until closing.
- The option period. Usually 7 to 10 days. This is when you do your inspections and decide whether to move forward, ask for repairs, or walk away. I coordinate the inspections and help you read the report.
- Financing and appraisal. I stay in touch with your lender so nothing surprises you. The lender orders an appraisal to confirm the value. If it comes in low, we talk through your options.
- Closing. A title company handles closing in Texas. I'll make sure you know what to bring and what you're signing.
When something comes up, and something usually does, you'll hear it from me fast: what happened, what it means and what I recommend. We have a problem, but we also have options.
Resale or new construction
In Prosper and Celina, resale and new construction often sit a few streets apart. A builder's model home looks perfect, and the incentives sound generous. Here's the part to know first: the salesperson in the model home works for the builder. I work for you.
How I help you compare the two:
- Price and upgrades. Which upgrades are worth the money, and which you can skip.
- The lot. Lot premiums can add a lot to the price. We look at what the extra money buys.
- Incentives. Which ones are real, and what they're worth to you.
- Timeline. When you could move in, and what happens if the build runs late.
- Resale. What will make the home easy or hard to sell later.
Bring me in before you register at a model home. A new home still deserves an inspection, and I help you arrange one. More on buying new construction.
Choosing your town
Collin County gives buyers a lot of good choices, and that's part of what makes it hard. Frisco, Prosper, McKinney, Plano, Celina, Allen, Little Elm, Anna and Melissa each offer something different.
What I compare with you:
- Home age and style. From neighborhoods built in the 2000s to new construction.
- Lot size. Some towns have bigger lots, and some have smaller ones.
- Your commute. Where you drive every day, and how long it takes.
- Price. What your budget buys in each town.
- HOA and taxes. These can change your monthly payment a lot from one neighborhood to the next.
- Schools. I'll point you to each district's own tools so you can judge for yourself and confirm the district for a specific address.
I'll lay out the tradeoffs so you can pick based on facts. Your town matters less than whether the home fits your life.
Touring a home: what I look at
Staging is made to look good. Here's what I look at beyond it.
Outside:
- The roof, gutters and downspouts
- The grading, so water runs away from the house
- Cracks in the foundation or driveway
- The fence, the deck or patio, and the landscaping
- Where the sun hits, and what the street looks like
Inside:
- Water stains on ceilings and walls
- Doors and windows that stick or won't close
- Cracks above doorways, and floors that slope
- The age of the water heater, the air conditioner and the appliances
- Smells that fresh paint or air freshener might cover
- How the layout would work for your daily routine
Questions to ask on a tour: How old is the roof, and has it ever been replaced? What has been updated, and when? What would a buyer have to spend in the first two years?
You'll get my clear read on every home we see: what's strong, what worries me, and what I'd want to know before writing an offer.
Your offer plan, built before you need it
The offer plan gets built before the right home appears, not the night you fall in love with it. We decide ahead of time:
- How strong your pre-approval needs to be to compete
- How much earnest money makes sense for you
- How long an option period to ask for
- Which terms matter most to you: price, closing date, repairs or concessions
Negotiation is more than the price. I hold the RENE designation, Real Estate Negotiation Expert. I negotiate every part of the deal that affects you: price, repairs, closing costs, concessions, closing date and, on new construction, builder incentives.
When the right home shows up, you're ready to write that day, with confidence. The buyer who gets the house is usually the one who was prepared, not the one who saw it first.
After you apply for a mortgage
Your lender is checking your finances until closing. A few things can cause trouble if you do them in the meantime. The best plan is to talk to your lender before you do anything financial. Until you close:
- Don't change bank accounts.
- Don't apply for new credit or close any credit accounts.
- Don't deposit large amounts of cash before talking to your lender.
- Don't co-sign a loan for anyone.
- Don't make any large purchases, such as furniture or a car.
If you're not sure whether something counts, ask your lender first. I'd rather you ask a question that turns out not to matter than skip one that does.
What's included, and your next step
When you buy with me, you get:
- A buyer consultation of 60 to 75 minutes before any showing
- A search set up on the MLS that sends you matching homes as they list
- Showing tours, with a clear read on every home
- Offer strategy and writing
- Negotiation on the whole deal
- Inspection coordination and help reading the reports
- Closing support through the final walkthrough
- Referrals to vendors you may need, such as a lender, inspector or contractor
- A thank-you at closing, not a goodbye
I'm Omega Mejia, a REALTOR® with the ABR, GRI and RENE designations. Before real estate, I spent 30+ years in education and coaching, so I explain things clearly.
If you're pre-approved, we can start your consultation this week. If you're not there yet, tell me where you are and I'll point you to the right next step. No pressure either way. Book your buyer consultation.
This guide describes my general approach to buying a home in Texas. It isn't legal, tax or lending advice, and details can change with your contract, your lender and your title company.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at a buyer consultation?
It runs 60 to 75 minutes, before any showings. We cover your goals, a wishlist reality check, the buying process, how we'll work together, a pre-approval check and your questions.
How much earnest money do I need in Texas?
It's negotiated on each offer and is usually around 1% of the price. You deliver it to the title company, which holds it until closing.
What is the option period?
It's usually 7 to 10 days. You do your inspections and decide whether to move forward, ask for repairs or walk away.
Who does the model home salesperson work for?
The builder. I work for you, so I help you compare upgrades, lot premiums and incentives on the full numbers.
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Ready to make your move with Omega Mejia?