First Time Buyers

Closing Costs Unpacked: State-by-State Breakdowns for Today’s Buyers

Closing Costs Unpacked: State-by-State Breakdowns for Today’s Buyers

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, there’s one expense you can’t afford to overlook: closing costs. Almost every buyer knows they exist, but not that many know exactly what they cover, or how different they can be based on where you're buying. So, let’s break them down. What Are Closing Costs? Your closing costs are the additional fees and payments you make when finalizing your...

3 Reasons Affordability Is Showing Signs of Improvement This Fall

3 Reasons Affordability Is Showing Signs of Improvement This Fall

For the past couple of years, it’s been tough for a lot of homebuyers to make the numbers work. Home prices shot up. Mortgage rates too. And a number of people hit pause because it just didn’t feel possible. Maybe you were one of them. But there’s some encouraging news. If you’ve been waiting for a better time to jump back in, affordability may finally be showing signs of improvement this...

Mortgage Rates Just Saw Their Biggest Drop in a Year

Mortgage Rates Just Saw Their Biggest Drop in a Year

You’ve been waiting for what feels like forever for mortgage rates to finally budge. And last week, they did – in a big way. On Friday, September 5th, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to the lowest level since October 2024. It was the biggest one-day decline in over a year. What Sparked the Drop? According to Mortgage News Daily, this was a reaction to the August jobs report,...

Should You Still Expect a Bidding War?

Should You Still Expect a Bidding War?

If you’re still worried about having to deal with a bidding war when you buy a home, you may be able to let some of that fear go. While multiple-offer situations haven’t disappeared entirely, they’re not nearly as common as they used to be. In fact, a recent survey shows agents reported only 1 in 5 homes (20%) nationally received multiple offers in June 2025. That’s down from nearly 1 in 3...

From Frenzy to Breathing Room: Buyers Finally Have Time Again

From Frenzy to Breathing Room: Buyers Finally Have Time Again

If you tried to buy a home a few years ago, you probably still remember the frenzy. Homes were listed one day and gone the next. Sometimes it only took hours. You had to drop everything to go and see the house, and if you hesitated even slightly, someone else swooped in and bought it – sometimes even sight unseen. That kind of intensity pushed a lot of buyers to the sidelines. It was stressful,...

Condos Could Be a Win for Today’s Buyers

Condos Could Be a Win for Today’s Buyers

Not every homebuyer wants the biggest house on the block. Some want something simpler, more affordable, and easier to maintain, especially in a market where every dollar counts. That’s where condos come in. For first-time buyers, they can be a smart way to get into homeownership without stretching your budget. For downsizers, they offer less space to maintain with the flexibility to stay in a great...

Is It Better To Buy Now or Wait for Lower Mortgage Rates? Here’s the Tradeoff

Is It Better To Buy Now or Wait for Lower Mortgage Rates? Here’s the Tradeoff

Mortgage rates are still a hot topic – and for good reason. After the most recent jobs report came out weaker than expected, the bond market reacted almost instantly. And, as a result, in early August mortgage rates dropped to their lowest point so far this year (6.55%). While that may not sound like a big deal, pretty much every buyer has been waiting for rates to fall. And even a seemingly small...

The Truth About Down Payments (It’s Not What You Think)

The Truth About Down Payments (It’s Not What You Think)

Buying a home is exciting… until you start thinking about the down payment. That’s when the worry can set in. “I’ll never save enough.” “I need a small fortune just to get started.” “I guess I’ll just rent forever.” Sound familiar? You’re not alone. And you’re definitely not out of luck. Here’s the thing: a lot of what you’ve heard about down payments just...

What Credit Score Do You Really Need To Buy a Home?

What Credit Score Do You Really Need To Buy a Home?

According toFannie Mae, 90% of buyers don’t actually know what credit score lenders are looking for, or they overestimate the minimum needed. Let that sink in. That means most homebuyers think they need better credit than they actually do – and maybe you’re one of them. And that could make you think buying a home is out of reach for you right now, even if that’s not...

Graph showing Dallas-Fort Worth home prices down over 5% YoY. Contact Paul Garrison, REALTOR® at JPAR for local market guidance.

📉 Dallas-Fort Worth Home Prices Are Dropping: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know

The latest national data have just confirmed something many of us in the DFW market have been sensing: home prices across the metroplex are cooling off, and in some areas, they are declining significantly. In fact, from May 2024 to May 2025, home prices in Dallas dropped over 5%, and Fort Worth saw a 4.5% decline. That puts both cities among the top 10 metro areas with the biggest price drops...