Houston Real Estate Blog

Published November 13, 2026 The short answer The option fee buys you a short window, often 5 to 10 days in Houston, to inspect the home and walk away for any reason. Earnest money shows you're serious. In Houston it's commonly around 1% of the price, held by the title company. Under the standard Tex

Published November 11, 2026 The short answer Yes, you can sell a Houston home without coming back. Most out-of-town sellers sign with e-signatures and close by mail-away or remote online notarization, or through a power of attorney. If you'll use a power of attorney, have the title company approve i

Published November 9, 2026 The short answer Houston is the largest U.S. city without zoning. Voters rejected it in 1948, 1962 and 1993. Instead, what can be built on a lot is controlled by private deed restrictions, HOA rules, city development rules (Chapter 42) and historic district rules. Deed res

Published November 6, 2026 The short answer When an appraisal comes in below the contract price, there are four main paths: lower the price, split the gap, have the buyer cover it in cash, or challenge the value. In Texas, what the buyer can do depends on the appraisal addendum in the contract, whic

Published November 4, 2026 The short answer You may need much less than 20% down. FHA loans need 3.5%, some conventional loans 3%, and VA and USDA loans can need nothing down. Texas programs from TSAHC and TDHCA offer down payment help of up to 5% of the loan, and you don't always have to be a first

Published November 2, 2026 The short answer Your best chance at top dollar is in the first two weeks, when your home is new to every buyer and agent watching your area. Price from the homes buyers will compare yours to right now and the sales of the last 60 days, not last spring's highs or an online

Published November 1, 2026 This is my first-of-the-month pulse on the Houston housing market. HAR's full October report comes out mid-month, so this edition uses Freddie Mac's weekly rate survey, HAR's last four Weekly Activity Snapshots, and September closings in the 30 areas we track. The short an

Published October 30, 2026 The short answer Houston is one of the most expensive places in Texas to insure a home. Recent estimates put the average Houston premium around $5,500 to $5,700 a year, compared with roughly $3,900 to $4,100 statewide for similar coverage. Premiums rose by double digits in

Published October 28, 2026 The short answer Houston builders are carrying more finished homes than they'd like, so incentives are big right now: rate buydowns into the 5% range, closing cost help of $10,000 to $25,000 and design center credits are common. The best incentive isn't always the biggest

Published October 26, 2026 The short answer Houston is the fastest-growing metro in the country: it added about 126,700 people from July 2024 to July 2025. Homes cost less than the national average: the Houston single-family median was $325,000 in September 2026, compared with $422,700 nationally. C

Published October 23, 2026 The short answer In Texas, most repair negotiations happen during the option period, a short window (often 5 to 10 days) when the buyer can still walk away for any reason. Sellers have three main answers: make repairs, give a credit or lower the price. For bigger items, a

Published October 21, 2026 The short answer The average 30-year fixed rate was 7.40% on October 15, 2026, up from 6.27% a year earlier (Freddie Mac). On a typical Houston purchase, that's roughly $220 a month more than last year for the same loan. In today's market, many sellers and builders will pa

Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 The short answer A Texas homestead exemption removes $140,000 of your home's value from school taxes, plus whatever local exemptions your county, city and other districts offer. Homeowners 65 and older or disabled get another $60,000 off school t

Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 The short answer The median single-family price in Greater Houston was $325,000 in September 2026, essentially flat from a year earlier, according to HAR. Inventory rose to 5.5 months (how long the homes for sale now would take to sell at the cur

Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 The short answer Texas has no state income tax on wages, retirement income or capital gains, and the Texas Constitution now bans one. A married couple earning $150,000 would pay roughly $5,200 to $7,200 a year in state income tax in California, N

Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 The short answer Check a home's FEMA flood zone, its flood history and its elevation during your option period, before you're committed. Being outside the 100-year floodplain doesn't mean a home can't flood. In Harvey, almost three-quarters of da

Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 The short answer A home inside Houston city limits and Houston ISD pays a combined rate of about $2.14 per $100 of value for 2026, before exemptions. With a homestead exemption, a $400,000 home there pays roughly $5,700 a year. Without one, it's