How does the homestead exemption work in Tarrant and Parker County?
How to file a Texas homestead exemption with TAD or Parker CAD after you buy, what it does to your taxable value, the 10% cap, and what it means for escrow.
Texas Mortgage Library
Straight answers to the Texas questions I get most. Property taxes, contracts, title, building on land, and how lenders look at income. I live in Aledo and do loans around Fort Worth, so a lot of this is about Tarrant and Parker County. It's general information, not legal or tax advice.
Property taxes
How do I protest my property appraisal with TAD or Parker CAD?
How to protest your appraised value with TAD or Parker CAD: the deadline, filing online, what evidence helps, and what happens after.
Why did my mortgage payment go up in Texas?
On a fixed-rate loan, principal and interest don't change, so look at escrow. How Texas property taxes and escrow shortages raise it, and what to do.
Contracts and closing
What is a T-47 survey affidavit, and when do I need a new survey in Texas?
What the Texas T-47 affidavit and T-47.1 declaration are, how the TREC resale contract handles the survey, and when a buyer ends up paying for a new survey.
What does the Third Party Financing Addendum do in a Texas contract?
How the TREC Third Party Financing Addendum works: Buyer Approval, Property Approval, the FHA and VA clause, deadlines, and your earnest money.
What is the option period in Texas, and how does the option fee work?
How the option period works on a Texas resale contract: the option fee, the 5:00 p.m. deadline, your earnest money, and what to get done.
Who picks the title company in Texas, and what happens at closing?
In Texas you can pick any licensed title company and the state sets the premium. Who pays for the owner's policy, the commitment, and closing day.
Land and building
What should I know before buying land and building in Parker County?
Before you buy acreage and build in Parker County: septic permits, wells, no county zoning or building permits, flood zones, appraisals, and taxes.
Equity and refinancing
Can I get a HELOC in Texas, and what are the rules?
How a HELOC works on a Texas homestead: the 80% limit, $4,000 minimum draws, no cards, the 12-day wait, and how it compares with a cash-out refi.
Income and qualifying
How do lenders figure self-employed income from tax returns?
How a lender reads self-employed income from your tax returns: the two-year history, write-offs that get added back, trends, and other options.
Ready when you are.
Buying, refinancing or building, send it over and I'll take a look.
I always start with a soft pull, so no hard credit ding.