1. Know the number, before the house
Before you look at listings, understand what you can afford — not just what a lender will approve. Comfort and approval are different numbers.
Run the payment through our calculator with realistic Texas property taxes (2.0–2.5% is common) and homeowners insurance. Add utilities, HOA, and a maintenance reserve. That's the real monthly cost.
2. Pull your credit
Get your scores from all three bureaus. Focus on the middle score — that's what mortgage underwriters use.
If your middle score is under 680, we'll usually spend 30–90 days improving it before applying. Small moves (paying down utilization, disputing errors) can move the needle enough to change your interest rate.
3. Get pre-approved
A pre-approval is a lender's written statement of what you can borrow, based on documented income and credit. It's different from a pre-qualification (a quick estimate) and is what serious sellers want to see.
For most files, we can issue a pre-approval within 24–48 hours once documents are in.
4. Shop with a Realtor
Your Realtor's job is to negotiate. Ours is to structure. We stay in touch with your agent throughout so offers, timelines, and contingencies are aligned.
5. Under contract → close
Once you're under contract, the file moves through appraisal, underwriting, and closing disclosure. Expect 21–30 days on most Texas transactions.
You'll receive your Loan Estimate within 3 days of application and your Closing Disclosure at least 3 business days before closing. Both come from your lender — read them, and ask questions.