The Real Estate Transaction Timeline: From Offer to Keys
One of the biggest sources of stress in buying a home is simply not knowing what happens next. So let me pull back the curtain — here's the real flow of a Texas home purchase, start to finish. Most run about 30–45 days from accepted offer to closing.
Before you shop: get pre-approved
Everything starts here. A lender verifies your income, credit, and assets and tells you your true budget. Pre-approved beats "pre-qualified" — it's verified, and it makes your offer credible.
The steps, in order
- Find the home & make an offer. When you find the one, we write an offer — price, terms, and the details that protect you.
- Go under contract. The seller accepts, everyone signs, and the contract is "executed." The clock starts.
- Option period & earnest money (Texas). You pay a small option fee for a window to inspect and back out for any reason, plus earnest money — a good-faith deposit credited back to you at closing.
- Inspection. An inspector checks the home's condition; we negotiate repairs, a credit, or price based on what turns up.
- Appraisal. Your lender confirms the home is worth what you're paying.
- Processing & underwriting. The lender verifies everything for final approval. Don't make big financial moves right now.
- Title & survey. The title company confirms a clean, sellable title and issues title insurance; the survey confirms property lines.
- Clear to close. Underwriting signs off and you get your final numbers to review.
- Final walkthrough. We walk the home one last time to confirm its condition and any repairs.
- Closing & funding. You sign, the loan funds, the deed records — keys in hand.
It's a lot of moving parts — but you don't have to track them. That's my job: keeping every deadline, party, and document on schedule so your only job is getting excited about your new home.
Thinking about buying in Burleson? Let's map out your timeline.
Rebecca Kennedy · Burleson Real Estate · 817-372-9896
