As a real estate agent, one of the most important services I offer my clients is helping them navigate the often-confusing world of mortgage lending. Choosing the right lender can make or break a transaction—and the process starts before you find the perfect home. Here's what you need to know to shop smart and avoid surprises.

Real estate commissions have received a lot of attention recently because of the recent NAR settlement and the lawsuits leading up to that settlement. Even so, I find that many average Texans don’t know the basics of how Realtor compensation works. Here’s a guide by Texas Realtors.

Is this neighborhood good? Safe? Diverse? These might seem like reasonable questions to ask your real estate agent, but we agents have to answer cautiously in order to avoid “steering” and to comply with Fair Housing Rules.

Buyers often have questions about earnest money and when it is refundable and when it is not. Read this primer to understand more!

Every state has its own regulations and norms. An option period is Texas’ way of providing a home buyer time for due diligence. In exchange for that time, the buyer pays the seller an option fee. Both the option period length and the option fee amount are negotiable points in a real estate contract.

Property taxes in Texas are a sore subject for many residents! As property values have skyrocketed so too have property taxes, which are based on yearly county appraisals of value. Find out more about how Texas property taxes factor into home ownership.