Friday, August 7, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
You Don't Need Perfect Credit to Buy a House in DFW. Here's What You Actually Need.
What do you need to buy a house in DFW? You don't need a perfect credit score or 20% down — most DFW buyers put down 3% to 5% and start with a rough idea of their credit, a starting point, and a plan.
You're renting in DFW, watching your rate climb every year, thinking: I want to buy, but I don't know how to get there from here.
That feeling — not your credit score, not your down payment — is usually the only thing standing between renters and homeowners in this market. So let's clear out what people think is required and isn't, and get to what actually matters.
You Don't Need a Perfect Credit Score
You need a rough idea of yours. That's it.
Pull it up in your bank app or on a free credit site right now if you want. Whatever number shows up is enough to start the conversation with a lender. You don't need to spend six months "credit repairing" before you're allowed to ask a rea ...
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Friday, August 7, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
How do you price a home competitively in the southern DFW Metroplex?
Pricing your home right in southern DFW means anchoring to recent, county-level comparable sales, completing your Texas Seller's Disclosure Notice before you list, and setting a price that attracts buyers in the first two weeks. Overpricing is the single most common mistake I see sellers make, and it almost always costs them more in the end than pricing accurately from the start.
Here's what I tell every seller who asks me this: the market will tell you what your home is worth. Your job, and mine, is to listen to it before we go live, not after you've sat on the market for two months.
Why Overpricing Backfires in This Market
The southern DFW Metroplex covers a wide range of submarkets, from Tarrant and Johnson counties out to Ellis, Dallas, and beyond. Conditions vary meaningfully from one county to the next, which is exactly why metro-wide averages can mislead you. What's happening in Colleyville is n ...
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Friday, August 7, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
Why do the first two weeks matter so much when selling a home in DFW?
The first two weeks your home is on the market are the highest-traffic window you'll ever get. Buyer interest peaks the moment a listing goes live, then drops off fast. Price it right, show it beautifully, and have your paperwork in order, and you capture that momentum. Miss any one of those, and you're already in recovery mode.
According to the most recent data from the National Association of Realtors, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro posted a median existing-home sales price of $421,300 and a median of 53 days on market in June 2026. That's the most current metro-level figure available. Texas REALTORS® reported a statewide median of 58 days on market that same month, with 71,196 active listings competing for buyers' attention across Texas. In a market with that much supply, the homes that win are the ones that make a sharp first impression in that opening window.
I always tell sellers: pricin ...
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Thursday, August 6, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
Fairmount, Fort Worth: What You Need to Know Before You Move ThereWhat is the Fairmount neighborhood in Fort Worth known for? Fairmount is one of Fort Worth's largest historic districts, known for its early 1900s bungalows, walkable Near Southside location, and a genuine front-porch neighborhood feel just minutes from downtown.If you've spent any time driving through Fort Worth's Near Southside, you've probably slowed down in Fairmount without even realizing it. It's the neighborhood where the porches are actually used, the trees are older than most of the houses in newer DFW suburbs, and somebody's always walking a dog past a bungalow with real character. That's not an accident — Fairmount is one of the largest designated historic districts in Texas, and the people who live there tend to stay a while.For anyone relocating to Fort Worth or comparing it against neighborhoods in Arlington, Mansfield, or Burleson, Fairmount deserves a real look. It's not for everyone — but for the right b. ...
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Tuesday, August 4, 2026 / by Lauren Kerschen
The Best Arlington, TX Neighborhoods to Relocate To
Where should you relocate in Arlington, TX? Arlington offers everything from established tree-lined neighborhoods near downtown to newer master-planned communities on the south side, so the right fit depends on your commute, budget, and lifestyle priorities.
Arlington gets lumped in as "the place between Dallas and Fort Worth" a lot. Fair enough geographically — but that framing undersells what's actually going on here. This city has distinct pockets with real personality, and if you're relocating within DFW and putting Arlington on your shortlist, treating it as one big blob of options is how you end up in a neighborhood that doesn't actually fit how you live.
Lauren Kerschen works these streets every week with move-up buyers who already know DFW but are new to Arlington specifically. The question she gets most isn't "is Arlington a good move" — it's "which part of Arlington is my move." Here's how to think about it. ...
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