THE KEY STAGES OF BUYING A HOME IN TEXAS By Murray~Lobb

Even if you’ve bought a home in the past, it’s always wise to hire an experienced lawyer and real estate agent to help you buy a house in Texas. Contract clauses often change and you’re likely to need special provisions added to your formal offer and purchase agreement to fully protect your interests.
After contacting your Houston real estate lawyer, you’ll need to select a qualified real estate agent. When searching for one, ask close friends for recommendations if they’ve recently bought a home in one of your target areas. You can also search for an agent by visiting the Texas Real Estate Commission website --  and Trulia.com and realtor.com.
What follows is a general overview of the key stages of finding and purchasing a home in Texas when you’ve hired qualified professionals to help you.
Determining if it’s the right time to buy – what your needs are — and what you can afford
Always take time to decide if it’s really the right moment for you to purchase a home. You must be able to afford a monthly mortgage, homeowner’s (and title) insurance and the other expenses that go with buying a home and making repairs. Once you’re sure you want to buy now and know what you can afford to pay, contact several highly recommended real estate agents (who have brokered properties in your preferred area) and interview them over the phone or in person.
After checking each candidate’s references and hiring the most knowledgeable and pleasant one, you’ll be ready to start conducting your search for the right home.
You’ll first need to discuss your preferred price range and the preferred parts of town where you would like to buy a home. Be sure to note the property features that are “must haves” or “deal breakers” for you. Of course, remaining flexible is important so you can avoid missing the chance to buy one of the best homes available.
Where will you and your agent find the listings that you’ll want to see?
In addition to visiting publicly advertised “open house” events in your target areas, you and your agent can also view many available properties online. Savvy sellers often offer online visual tours of their homes to help attract prospective buyers — who can then request showings.
You can also visit the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) online and then discuss the properties that you like most with your agent. If your agent is well established in the area, you may even become privy to some private listings before others learn about them. Websites like trulia.com and realtor.com should also provide lists of many homes still on the market.
What other initial tasks can a realtor help you handle?
After you’ve met with a mortgage broker and located several properties that meet your needs, your realtor can prepare a written offer for the seller. Prior to making an offer, be sure to ask your agent if the seller has any recent home inspection reports to share with you. If none are available and you still want to make an offer on a house, your agent can make obtaining an acceptable home inspection report one of the contingencies in the home purchase agreement that must be met before you’ll purchase the house.
You’re now ready to go over the legally required disclosures that Texas requires property owners to make to parties offering to buy a home. Repairs currently needed must be detailed – along with notes about all recently completed ones. If you haven’t already received a thorough (recent) home inspection report, you really should obtain one now — so you won’t be suddenly surprised by major plumbing or other serious home repairs in the future.
Should certain repairs be needed – and you’re still willing to buy the house – your real estate agent can negotiate these matters with the buyer on your behalf. Also, you must have a title search run on the house. You don’t want to buy property with any troubling liens, easements or other encumbrances that can greatly limit your ability to fully enjoy the use of your new home.
At this point (if not already done), you should purchase title insurance so that if any future claims are made against the property by third parties, you’ll be able to properly protect all your legal interests.
Once all these matters have been fully negotiated between your agent and the seller, you’re ready to move forward into escrow.
What basic, final tasks should be handled right before — or during — escrow?
Your lawyer will make sure that the home purchase agreement contains all the necessary clauses required to protect your interests before escrow closes. If it hasn’t already been done, you should also have the home appraised to make sure your offered purchase price is reasonable and fair.
Next, all new home inspection reports should be carefully analyzed, and all financial arrangements finalized. On closing day, you’ll go to the title agent’s office to sign all the documents and pick up the keys to your new home. As the buyer, you’re not responsible for paying your real estate agent’s fees – they are covered by the seller.
After closing day, your Houston real estate attorney can check to be sure that the title to your new home has been properly recorded in the correct local government offices – and then provide you with official copies of the newly recorded title deed for your records.
Please contact Murray Lobb so we can provide you with the clear advice you’ll need while buying your new home. Since we have the necessary experience to address any problems that may arise, we should be able to minimize any stress for you. Your lawyer will remain available to answer all your questions as you prepare to move into your new home.

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