First-Time Home Buyers
Your first Texas home, bought with confidence.
This guide walks first-time buyers through the Texas home-buying process step by step: setting a budget, getting pre-approved, planning a down payment, making an offer, and navigating the option period, inspections, and closing. Sharcom Realty Group represents first-time buyers across Houston, Katy, and Dallas-Fort Worth, and we explain every step in plain English before you sign anything.
The Process
Seven steps from first search to first keys.
Every first-time buyer's path looks a little different, but the shape is the same. Here is the order we recommend, and the order most Texas transactions actually follow.
01
Set your budget and get pre-approved
Your budget starts with a lender, not a listing. A pre-approval letter tells you the loan amount you qualify for, and your broker pairs it with taxes, insurance, and HOA dues so the monthly payment is the real one. Start on the mortgage page and run the numbers on the mortgage calculator before you tour anything.
02
Plan your down payment
Texas buyers commonly put down 3% to 20% depending on the loan program, and first-time buyer programs can reduce that further. Your lender should lay out your realistic number, including where the funds come from and what documentation you will need.
03
Choose your neighborhood
Schools, commute, community amenities, and future buildout matter as much as the house. Sharcom maps them for Houston, Katy, and Dallas-Fort Worth, from master-planned Katy communities to the luxury addresses inside the Loop.
04
Tour with your broker
We filter the noise, compare true comparables, and keep you from overpaying for updates that do not add value. You will see the right homes, not just the most photographed ones.
05
Make your offer
Earnest money, option money, the option period, contingencies, and a closing timeline: we build an offer sellers want to accept, and we explain every line before you sign.
06
Inspect and finance
The inspection happens inside your option period, findings are negotiated in writing, and your lender moves from pre-approval to full underwriting. We stay on every date so nothing stalls.
07
Close and move in
We review every closing line, walk the final house with you, and hand over the keys, done right. Then we help you think through what comes next, from homestead exemptions to your first maintenance list.
Budgets & Pre-Approval
Know your number before you fall in love with a house.
The single most important first step is a real budget built by a lender, not a guess. A pre-approval letter verifies your income, assets, and credit and states the loan amount you qualify for, and that is the letter sellers and listing agents take seriously when you tour and offer.
- Pre-approval tells you your ceiling; your broker adds taxes, insurance, and HOA dues to get your real monthly payment
- Down payments commonly run 3% to 20% in Texas, and first-time buyer programs can reduce that further
- Gift funds, credit surprises, and self-employment income all have documentation rules, so start the conversation early
Texas Contract Basics
The three terms every first-time buyer meets.
Texas has its own way of doing contracts, and three terms come up in almost every first-time transaction. Here is what they mean before you see them on a page of legalese.
Earnest money
A good-faith deposit, typically 1% to 3% of the price in Texas, held by the title company while the contract is active. It is credited toward your down payment at closing, or refunded if the contract terminates under its terms.
Option period
In Texas, the buyer typically pays for an option period, commonly 7 to 10 days, to run inspections and decide whether to proceed. You can terminate for any reason during this window and keep the option fee; earnest money is refundable.
Inspections
A general home inspection covers structure, systems, and major components, and Texas buyers often add specialist inspections for termites, foundation, sewer, or roofing. Every finding is negotiable within the option window.
What happens after your offer is accepted?
The period between an accepted offer and closing is where first-time buyers have the most questions: earnest money deposits, inspection deadlines, repair negotiations, appraisal, title work, and the final walk-through. We have a full plain-English guide for exactly that stretch, written for Texas practice.
Read: Offer Accepted, Now What?Talk to Sharon
Buying your first home? Let's walk it together.
Sharon Yeary has spent 27 years guiding Texas buyers, and first-time buyers are some of her favorite clients. Tell her team where you are in the process, and they will send you the exact next steps, plus homes that fit your real budget.
Sharon Yeary
Associate Broker with eXp Realty
- 27 years of experience in Texas real estate
- Certified AI Agent through the Krem Institute
- Associate Broker with eXp Realty, Texas License 471375
Start your first-time buyer plan
Share your timeline, your budget range, and any questions, and a Sharcom broker will reply with next steps, usually within one business day.
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