What an escrow holdback is, why the TREC contract needs a separate agreement, the Fannie Mae, FHA and VA rules, and when holdbacks come up in Houston closings.
Texas Real Estate Contracts, Offers & Closing
Texas Seller’s Water Disclosure: Who Has to Deliver It and What It Asks
TREC’s new seller’s water disclosure (form 61-0) is mandatory as of July 1, 2026. Here’s the five-part exemption most Houston sellers qualify for, what the form asks, and how to avoid a buyer’s 7-day termination window.
Going Unrepresented Might Cost You More, Not Less: Buying a House Without a Realtor in Texas
You can buy a home in Texas without your own real estate agent. But the 2026 listing agreement lets the seller pay their broker extra when you do, and nobody is running comps, deadlines, or repair talks for you. What going unrepresented actually gives up.
Didn’t Get the Seller’s Disclosure? A Texas Buyer’s Right to Terminate
Paragraph 7B gives Houston buyers a second exit most never hear about: 7 days from receiving a late seller’s disclosure to terminate for any reason, earnest money refunded.
The Texas Option Period: When It Starts, How to Count the Days, and What the Fee Buys
The Texas option period runs on exact rules — day zero, calendar days, the 5 p.m. deadline that never slides. How to count it, from Paragraph 5 of the TREC contract.
Hurricane Hits Before Closing — Now What?
Hurricane damage before closing is the seller’s problem, not yours. What Paragraph 14 of the Texas contract gives a Houston buyer — and the insurance step to take during your option period.