How buying a home in Texas works, if you bought in Latin America

Since January 1, 2026, Texas license law requires a written buyer agreement before an agent shows you a home, or before presenting an offer if nothing is shown. It must state the services, the end date, whether it is exclusive, whether the agent represents you and the compensation, with a conspicuous statement that compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. You will also receive the Information About Brokerage Services (IABS) form.

A lender reviews income, credit and savings. Once it has your application, it has three business days to give you a Loan Estimate, a standard form for comparing rates and costs across lenders.

Resales of one to four unit homes use TREC form 20-19, effective July 1, 2026. Texas REALTORS publishes Spanish translations for information only; what you sign is the English version.

Within three days after the effective date, you deliver the earnest money and the option fee to the title company. If the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day.

For the option fee, the seller grants you the right to terminate for any reason during the agreed days, with notice by 5:00 p.m. local time on the last day. Terminate on time and you lose the option fee but get the earnest money back. If you did not deliver the fee on time, you do not have that right.

During the option period you hire the inspector and, report in hand, ask for repairs, a credit, a price reduction, or terminate.

The seller must deliver the title commitment within 20 days after the title company receives the contract. For the survey, the seller may provide the existing one with a T-47 affidavit or T-47.1 declaration, or a new survey is ordered as agreed.

The lender orders the appraisal. The contract has an optional addendum that lets you terminate if the appraisal comes in below an agreed value, and the third party financing addendum covers loan approval.

At least three business days before closing, the lender gives you the Closing Disclosure with the final numbers. At closing you sign at the title company, the seller is paid, the deed is recorded with the county and you get the keys.

In Texas the agent fills in a TREC-promulgated form rather than drafting one. The contract itself warns that TREC rules prohibit agents from giving legal advice and recommends consulting an attorney before signing.

The title company, as escrow agent. Earnest money and the option fee are made payable to it, not to the seller or an agent.

The title company searches the history and issues a commitment listing the liens, easements and restrictions it found. The contract advises having an attorney of your choice review that commitment because the objection window is short.

The owner's title policy, which per the Texas Department of Insurance protects you for as long as you own the home. All Texas companies charge the same rate for it.

Texas Property Code 5.008 governs the Seller's Disclosure Notice, and the contract states whether you already received it, will receive it later, or the seller is not required to provide one. If you receive it after signing, form 20-19 gives you 7 days from receipt to terminate for any reason and get the earnest money back.

If the home is in a community with mandatory HOA membership, the contract includes the Property Code 5.012 notice: you must pay assessments, which can change, and failure to pay can lead to foreclosure on the home.