First Time Home Buyers

Your first purchase is the one with the most unknowns. Here is what matters in Dallas specifically.

Where a first purchase still pencils

Garland, Mesquite, Oak Cliff, parts of Carrollton, Richardson and Irving still have detached houses priced well below the close in neighborhoods. Condos and townhomes in Knox Henderson, Uptown, Addison and Las Colinas start lower, with HOA dues on top. The community guides show current numbers for each.

Down payment help

Texas has several programs that pair a mortgage with down payment and closing cost assistance for buyers under income limits. We explain the main ones on the down payment assistance page and connect you with lenders who have closed with them.

The inspection matters more here

Many affordable Dallas houses are older homes on clay soil. Foundation movement, cast iron drain lines and aging electrical panels are common. A general inspection plus a foundation and sewer scope is the right order for a first buyer, and the findings become your negotiating list.

FHA and VA loans work

Many first purchases in the eastern and southern suburbs use FHA or VA financing. Those loans have their own appraisal and condition standards, and we point out the items that commonly cause problems before you write an offer.