Friday, September 4, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
Once you accept an offer on a Dallas-Fort Worth home, the TREC contract sets an effective date, and all deadlines flow from there: earnest money and option fee due to the title company within three days, an option period for inspections, an appraisal and financing window, and then closing, where the title company funds and records your deed.
What happens after you accept an offer on your DFW home?
Once you accept an offer on a Dallas-Fort Worth home, the signed TREC contract establishes an effective date, and every deadline in the transaction counts from that day. The buyer has three days to deliver earnest money and the option fee to the title company, an option period follows for inspections and potential negotiations, and the deal moves through appraisal and financing milestones before the title company funds and records your deed at closing. Most financed deals in DFW target roughly 30 days from effective date to close.
Key Takeaways
The effective date on the TR ...
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dfw real estate 2026, home buying process, dfw housing market trends, lauren kerschen, dfw real estate
Thursday, August 27, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
Beyond your down payment, southern DFW buyers routinely face inspection packages, option money, survey fees, title company charges, HOA resale certificates, and utility deposits, costs that rarely appear in the listing price but can add up significantly before you get the keys.
What are the hidden costs of buying a home in Dallas–Fort Worth's southern suburbs?
Beyond your down payment and mortgage, buyers in southern DFW's suburbs typically encounter several overlooked line items: inspection packages (base fee plus add-ons), a separate option fee paid to the seller, a potential new survey, title company charges, HOA resale and transfer certificates, and utility deposits at move-in. None of these appear in the listing price, but together they represent real cash you'll need on hand before, and at, closing.
Why These Costs Catch Southern DFW Buyers Off Guard
I walk every buyer through a full cost picture before we write an offer. The purchase price is just the headl ...
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Wednesday, August 26, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
Property taxes in southern DFW are driven by a stack of county, city, school district, and special-district rates that vary sharply by location. Dallas County's 2025 adopted rate is $0.2155 per $100, but Dallas ISD adds $0.9938 and the City of Dallas adds $0.6988, making the combined bill one of the highest in the region. Texas homestead exemptions, including a $140,000 school-district exemption, can meaningfully reduce your taxable value.
How much are property taxes in Johnson, Ellis, and Dallas County for southern DFW buyers?
Property taxes in southern DFW are not a single number. They are a layered stack of rates set by your county, city, school district, and sometimes special districts. Depending on exactly where you buy, two homes at the same price can carry annual tax bills that differ by thousands of dollars. The Texas homestead exemption and the state's 10% appraisal cap can reduce what you actually owe over time, but only if you file correctly and only on a primary r ...
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home buying process, serious home buyers, buying a home in dfw, dallas fort worth housing market, real estate availability
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
In Texas, sellers are no longer required to offer buyer-agent compensation, and MLS listings can no longer advertise it. Whether you pay is now fully negotiable, spelled out in your purchase contract, and reflected on the closing statement prepared by your DFW title company.
Do sellers still have to pay the buyer's agent commission in Texas?
No. Since August 17, 2024, Texas sellers are not required to offer buyer-agent compensation, and that offer can no longer be published on the MLS. Whether a seller contributes anything toward a buyer's agent fee is now entirely negotiable, written into the purchase contract, and settled through the title company at closing. There is no standard rate, no automatic obligation, and no Texas law that mandates a seller pay the buyer's agent.
If you're selling a home in Arlington, Mansfield, Fort Worth, or anywhere across the southern DFW Metroplex, this is probably the question you've been asking since you started hearing about the rule c ...
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dfw real estate 2026, home buying process, real estate agent, fort worth realtor, lauren kerschen
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
Move-up buyers in the southern DFW Metroplex succeed by timing their sale and purchase strategically, understanding bridge financing options, and pricing their current home accurately from day one. Working with a local team that knows both sides of the transaction is the single biggest factor in a smooth transition.
How do move-up buyers successfully transition to a larger home in the DFW Metroplex?
Move-up buyers in the southern DFW Metroplex succeed by selling their current home at the right price, securing financing before they shop, and coordinating closing timelines so they're not caught owning two homes or none at all. The DFW market in 2026 gives move-up buyers more negotiating room than they had two or three years ago, but it still rewards preparation over improvisation.
What the 2026 DFW Market Means for Move-Up Buyers
The move-up decision has always been part financial, part timing, and part nerve. In 2026, the calculus has shifted in a way that actually favor ...
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dfw real estate 2026, home buying process, dfw real estate, texas housing market, fort worth real estate
