Buy a Home in Texas

    A good home purchase starts before the offer.

    The goal is not simply to get approved. It is to understand the payment, protect your cash, choose the right financing, and enter the market prepared to make a sound decision.

    Before pre-approval

    Three numbers should make sense together.

    Your monthly payment, total cash needed, and remaining reserves are more useful than a maximum approval amount by itself.

    A payment that fits your life

    We begin with the full monthly cost, including principal, interest, Texas property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance when required, and HOA dues.

    Cash planned beyond the down payment

    Closing costs, prepaid taxes and insurance, inspections, earnest money, and reserves all belong in the plan before you write an offer.

    A file ready for the right program

    Income, credit, assets, military service, property type, and future plans determine which financing path deserves a closer look.

    Find your financing path

    Different borrowers need different strategies.

    Start with the path closest to your situation. Final eligibility, pricing, and program terms are confirmed after reviewing the complete file.

    First-Time Buyers

    Build your readiness plan, compare low-down-payment options, and understand the real cash needed to buy.

    Explore this path

    VA Loans

    Use your earned benefit with a strategy that accounts for entitlement, residual income, funding-fee status, and the property.

    Explore this path

    Conventional and FHA

    Compare flexibility, mortgage insurance, upfront costs, and long-term payment instead of choosing by headline alone.

    Explore this path

    Down Payment Assistance

    Evaluate available assistance alongside the first-mortgage rate, repayment terms, eligibility, and time you expect to keep the home.

    Explore this path

    Self-Employed and Investors

    Explore bank-statement, P&L, asset-based, and property-based qualification when traditional income documentation does not tell the full story.

    Explore this path

    Physicians and Professionals

    Compare professional programs, conventional financing, and VA eligibility around contract income, student debt, and career stage.

    Explore this path

    The purchase process

    Learn. Plan. Prepare. Purchase.

    01

    Learn

    We review your goals and financial picture, then identify the decisions that matter now.

    02

    Plan

    We compare realistic payment and cash-to-close scenarios and build the right timeline.

    03

    Prepare

    We complete the pre-approval and make sure you understand the numbers before the house search gets serious.

    04

    Purchase

    Once under contract, we coordinate the financing milestones through underwriting and closing.

    Texas details matter

    The contract and the financing have to work together.

    Property taxes, insurance, option and financing deadlines, seller credits, appraisal timing, and new-construction tax estimates can all change the numbers. We update the strategy as the property becomes specific.

    Explore the mortgage calculators
    • Review the full estimated payment before deciding what to offer.
    • Understand earnest money, option fees, inspections, and appraisal costs.
    • Coordinate seller credits and rate options with the actual contract.
    • Keep financing decisions connected to your timeline and future plans.

    Let’s build the plan before the house makes the decision for you.

    A strategy call gives you a clear starting point, whether you are ready to buy now or preparing for later.

    Book a Free Call

    Clear mortgage guidance. A strategy built around you.

    Texas mortgage guidance for homebuyers, veterans, professionals, and investors who want confident decisions without the pressure.

    Shalanda Smith, NMLS #554554

    Keys by Shalanda is the personal brand of Shalanda Smith, operating under Secure Choice Lending, NMLS #1689518. Licensed in Texas by the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending.

    Company office: 1650 Spruce St., Suite 500, Riverside, CA 92507 · Serving homebuyers across all of Texas

    Texas SMLNMLS Consumer Access

    Texas Consumer Complaint Notice

    Consumers wishing to file a complaint against a mortgage banker or licensed mortgage loan originator should contact the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending, 2601 North Lamar, Suite 201, Austin, Texas 78705. Toll-free: 1-877-276-5550. sml.texas.gov

    All loans are subject to credit approval. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice. This is not a commitment to lend.

    Equal Housing Opportunity
    © 2026 Keys by Shalanda. All rights reserved.