The Home Buying Guide

A mortgage pre-approval is a lender's written estimate of how much they'll lend you, based on a quick review of your income, credit, and debts. It's the first thing you should do — not the last.

Beyond telling you your budget, a pre-approval letter makes your offer far stronger. In a competitive market, sellers often won't even consider an offer without one. It costs nothing and only takes a day or two.

The sticker price isn't the whole story. Your monthly payment includes principal and interest, property taxes (notable in Texas), and homeowners insurance — often bundled as your escrow. Our mortgage calculator breaks it all down.

You'll also need cash at closing: your down payment plus closing costs (typically 2–5% of the price). Knowing your comfortable monthly number and your available cash keeps your search realistic from day one.

A buyer's agent is on your side: finding homes, scheduling tours, running comps so you don't overpay, writing and negotiating your offer, and managing inspections and closing.

Best of all, a buyer's agent's commission is typically paid by the seller, so you get an experienced professional in your corner — without a bill for it. We only succeed when you get the right home at the right price.

Make two lists: non-negotiables (bedrooms, commute, school district, budget) and wants (a pool, an office, a big yard). This keeps you from chasing homes that were never going to work.

Then pick your areas. San Antonio neighborhoods vary widely in price, feel, and schools — we'll help you narrow to the ones that fit your list and your budget.

• ✓Price range (from your pre-approval)
• ✓Beds / baths needed
• ✓Target cities, ZIPs, or school districts
• ✓Commute / location priorities
• ✓Deal-breakers (busy road, HOA, condition)

Good homes move fast. Rather than refreshing sites all day, save your search and let new matching listings come to you. On 5starreo.com you can filter by city, price, beds, baths, and more, and save your favorites.

When something great appears, being first to tour and first to offer is a real advantage. We'll make sure you're in the loop the moment inventory changes.

Photos only tell you so much. Touring reveals layout, light, noise, condition, and that hard-to-describe feeling of whether a home fits. Take pictures and quick notes at each one — they blur together fast.

Use the Compare tool to line up your favorites side by side. And don't let pressure push you into the wrong home; we'll tell you honestly when something isn't right for you.

When you find the one, we prepare an offer backed by real comparable sales so you pay a fair price — not too much, not so little you lose it. We also set the earnest money, proposed closing date, and any contingencies.

In a competitive situation, terms can matter as much as price: a flexible closing date, a solid pre-approval, and reasonable contingencies can win over a higher but shakier offer.

Sellers often counter. We negotiate strategically on your behalf — price, closing date, and which repairs the seller will handle — always protecting your interests while keeping the deal alive.

Having an experienced agent between you and the seller keeps things objective and productive, so emotion doesn't cost you money or the home.

Once your offer is accepted, you'll order a home inspection. It's your window to understand the home's true condition. If it turns up problems, we can ask the seller to repair them, credit you, or adjust the price.

Your lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home is worth what you're paying. If it comes in low, we have options — renegotiate the price, adjust your financing, or, rarely, walk away with your earnest money protected by the appraisal contingency.

Between offer and closing, your lender finalizes your loan. Respond quickly to document requests, and — importantly — don't open new credit or make big purchases, which can jeopardize your approval.

At closing you'll sign the paperwork, bring your down payment and closing costs (roughly 2–5% of the price), and receive your keys. Here's a typical breakdown of buyer costs in Texas — your lender and title company provide exact figures.

Congratulations — the home is yours. Transfer utilities into your name, change the locks and garage codes, and keep your closing documents somewhere safe.

Don't forget to file your homestead exemption with the county appraisal district — it lowers the property taxes on your primary residence. We'll remind you how.