Heritage Homes Realty Blog
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Carol Verhey, Broker
Heritage Homes Realty
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(817) 937-5288
Carol@CarolVerhey.com
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Address
1560 E Southlake Blvd Ste 100,
Southlake, TX 76092
Service Area
Texas
Hours of Operation
Monday-Saturday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday: For Appointments (Call)
You’ve closed on your Texas home. The keys are in your hand. Now what?
Most people think the real estate journey ends at the closing table. In reality, a brand-new chapter is just beginning—and the first 30 days are critical to protecting your investment. Whether you just closed on a suburban property in Dallas-Fort Worth, a beautiful plot in Waco, or a home in Houston, here is your official Texas Post-Closing Checklist of what to do, say, and avoid:
WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY:
File your Texas Homestead Exemption: This is the single biggest tax saver for Texas homeowners. You can file for free directly with your county appraisal district (like DCAD, TAD, HCAD, or McLennan CAD) as soon as you have your updated Texas ID.
Change the locks: You have no idea how many copies of your house keys are floating around from previous owners, contractors, or inspectors. Locksmith first, unpacking second.
Locate your utilities and shut-offs: Find your main water shut-off valve and your electrical panel before an emergency happens.
WHAT TO SAY – “Hello” to the neighbors: Introduce yourself early. Neighbors are your first line of defense for home security and the best source for local contractor recommendations.
Say “Thank You” to your support system: A quick note to your lender, title company, or moving crew goes a long way.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Don’t fall for “Deed Processing” scams: You will likely get official-looking letters in the mail offering to send you a copy of your deed for $80+. Ignore them. Your county clerk will mail your recorded deed to you for free.
Don’t ignore Texas weather prep: If you are new to the area, get ready early. Prep your outdoor spigots and sprinkler systems for North Texas winter freezes, or check your storm/flood prep if you are down in Houston.
Don’t rush into massive renovations: Live in the space for a few weeks or months first. You’ll get a much better feel for the layout flow, natural light, and what actually needs changing.
Closing day is a massive milestone, but protecting your investment starts on day one. 
Texas homeowners: What was the first thing you did after getting your keys? Thinking about buying or selling in DFW, Waco, or Houston? Let’s connect and map out your next move!
#TexasRealEstate #DFWRealEstate #HoustonRealEstate #WacoTexas #HomeownerTips #JustClosed #TexasRealtor #NewHomeowner #Heritage Homes Realty
It's a Buyer's Market!
NTREIS 2023, residential sales, through current and here is what the numbers show.
September residential sales
2023 – 8,762 sold properties
2024 – 8,893 sold properties
2025 – 9,528 sold properties
Average over the three years is 9,061
Estimate for residential sales
September 2026 from 7,883 to 8,064 sold properties
Currently as of September 10th we have 1806 reported sales. This number does not define the rest of the month as we saw last month, August 2026, the numbers for the first half of the month showed we were over 30% fewer sales than the average and finished with 11% fewer sales than the previous three year average in August.
October residential sales
2023 – 8,117 sold properties
2024 – 9104 sold properties
2025 – 9,274 sold properties
Average over the three years is 8,831
Estimate for residential sales
October 2026 from 7,682 to 7,860 sold properties
November residential sales
2023 – 7,288 sold properties
2024 – 8,267 sold properties
2025 – 7,607 sold properties
Average over the three years is 7,720
Estimate for residential sales
November 2026 from 6,716 – 6,870
December residential sales
2023 – 7,735 sold properties
2024 – 8,995 sold properties
2025 – 9,480 sold properties
Average over the three years is 8,737
Estimate for residential sales
December 2026 from 7,601 – 7,776
What does this mean?
These estimates are based in part on an 11% to 13% reduction from the 3 year previous average.
The real estate market ran out of steam in July this year. August proved to be 11% lower in sales than the previous 3 year average.
Already September shows 2.7% less mortgage applications across the country than last year.
Affordability is still restricting that Real Estate market, Historically the interest rates are not excessive. The pricing that surged in 2021 and in part of 2022 is over what the average family is able to afford.
Running the numbers on a starter home from a builder, a mortgage at 6.5% with PITI is approximately $3,200.00 per month. That does not include HOA, utilities, or maintenance. Being home payment poor is not a good financial decision.
Inflation is hurting us. It is not just the price of fuel or groceries, everything has increased. This, along with other factors has placed fear in a lot of people and keeping them from being able to make a purchase decision. Running the following on an inflation calculator; an item that cost $1,000 dollars in 2022 would cost you $1,141.00 today based only on inflation. This expense is 14.1% more expensive and I do not know many people that have increased their income 14.1%. Just to keep up with a starter at home your income would need $80,000+ annual income.
Even the builders that are offering lower mortgage interest rates than what any lender can offer are not selling what they had forecasted. Sales are slow all over.
Hopefully, the year finishes up better than the projections. The trend data has proven to be incorrect before but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of break-through data at this time.
The data does not define all areas. There are some homes in the right locations that are selling in less than 20 days. There are some that are selling in over 100 days on market. If you are thinking about selling have your agent run the days on market for your area.
If you are a buyer you are in the driver seat for the most part. Happy House Hunting!
Comments provided are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial or legal advice from Heritage Homes Realty or its associates.