Homevets Realty
A clear, step-by-step look at exactly how we’ll guide you — from our very first conversation to the keys in your hand.
When Experience Matters, Hire A Real Estate VeteranPress Play
A short walkthrough of how we’ll be working together through the entire home buying process — from our first conversation to handing you the keys.
Save or print every step on a single page, from agent consultation through closing day.
Welcome
The home buying process should never feel like a mystery. Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make, and you deserve to understand every step. At Homevets Realty, a veteran-owned brokerage that has guided more than a thousand families home across the Greater Fort Hood and Central Texas area since 1994, we believe an informed buyer is a confident buyer. This page walks you through our home buying process in plain language — so you always know what’s happening, what comes next, and how we’re protecting your interests along the way.
Why Homevets Realty
Three things shape every home buying process we lead — and they’re the reasons our clients send their friends, family, and fellow service members our way.
Homevets Realty was founded in 2005 by a U.S. Army veteran who has guided more than a thousand families through the home buying process near Fort Hood. We speak military, we move at PCS speed, and we understand VA loan benefits at a level few brokerages can match.
Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Belton, Salado, Temple, Nolanville — the Greater Fort Hood and Central Texas home buying process looks different in every neighborhood. We know the streets, the schools, the resale story, and which floor plans hold their value when it’s time to sell.
The 2026 Texas rules require every home buying process to start with a written agreement and an honest conversation about compensation. We’ve always worked that way. No surprise fees, no pressure tactics — just a clear plan and a broker on your side from first call to closing day.
The Journey
Five clear phases — from getting to know you, to the moment we hand you the keys. Each step of the home buying process below explains what you can expect and what we’re doing in the background to protect you.
We sit down together, in person or by video, to understand what’s prompting your move, your timeline, your must-haves, and your budget. At this first meeting we’ll also hand you a simple one-page form called Information About Brokerage Services. It isn’t a contract — it just explains the ways a real estate professional can work with you in Texas, so you understand your options from day one. If you’re a service member, first responder, healthcare worker, or educator, we’ll also tell you about our Homevets Heroes Program.
If you’d like us in your corner — negotiating for you and protecting your interests — we’ll put that in writing with a Buyer Representation Agreement before we tour any homes. It spells out exactly what we’ll do for you, how long we’re working together, and how we’re paid. Commissions are always negotiable and never set by law, so we talk about all of it openly. No surprises, ever.
We’ll connect you with a trusted lender to get pre-approved and you can ballpark payments first with our mortgage calculator. Pre-approval confirms your comfortable price range and shows sellers you’re a serious, ready buyer — a real advantage in a competitive market. And if you’re a veteran, we’ll make sure your hard-earned VA loan benefits are working for you.
With your criteria set, we build you a personalized MLS home search so the right listings come straight to you — often before they reach the public websites. We fine-tune it together as you discover what you love and what you don’t.
Then the fun part of the home buying process. We schedule showings around your life and walk each home with a trained, critical eye — pointing out condition, resale potential, and the details that affect your wallet down the road.
When you find the one, the home buying process kicks into high gear. We craft a competitive offer and negotiate hard on your behalf: price, terms, closing date, and repairs. Two good-faith deposits come into play at this stage — and because buyers often mix them up, here’s exactly what each one does.
A small, negotiated fee that buys you the unrestricted right to walk away during your option period — your private inspection window. It’s generally non-refundable, but it’s credited toward your purchase at closing. Think of it as a modest insurance premium for peace of mind.
Your good-faith deposit, showing the seller you’re serious. It’s held safely by a neutral title company and applied to your costs at closing. If you terminate within your option period, it’s generally returned to you in full.
Congratulations — you’re under contract! This stage of the home buying process starts the clock on your option period: a private window to have the home professionally inspected and decide, for any reason, whether to move forward, renegotiate repairs, or walk away.
You’ll formally apply for your mortgage, and the lender reviews your credit and verifies your income and assets. Our advice for this stretch: keep your finances steady — no big purchases, new credit cards, or job changes.
An underwriter reviews everything in detail and may ask for a few extra documents — completely normal. We help you supply whatever’s needed and keep things moving. Your contract’s financing terms protect your earnest money if a loan unexpectedly falls through.
The lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home’s value supports the price, and we make sure any agreed-upon repairs are completed. Once value and conditions check out, you’re cleared to close.
Behind the scenes, the title company confirms the seller can legally sell and that there are no liens or surprises on the property. You receive title insurance protecting your ownership, and we review the survey showing the property’s exact boundaries.
The title company assembles every closing document, including the statement that itemizes exactly what you’ll bring to and receive at the table. We review your numbers with you ahead of time — and always remind you to verify wiring instructions by phone to stay safe from fraud.
You sign your final documents. Once the lender funds the loan and the sale records with the county, the home is officially, legally yours.
The moment we’ve been working toward through the entire home buying process — you take possession of your new home. And our relationship doesn’t end at the closing table: we’re your real estate resource for life.
New for 2026
The Texas Real Estate Commission updated its rules effective January 1, 2026, with one goal in mind: making the home buying process clearer and more transparent for buyers like you. Here’s what it means in practice.
Before we tour homes, we’ll have a written agreement that clearly explains our services and exactly how we’re paid — so you always know what to expect.
The law confirms what we’ve always believed: commissions are negotiable and never set by law. We discuss compensation openly, right from the start.
You’ll receive the updated Information About Brokerage Services form at our first real conversation, explaining your representation options in plain terms.
Your option fee and earnest money are delivered to a neutral title company — not handed to the seller — within three days of your contract.
Let’s Connect
Book an appointment that fits your schedule, or send your details and we’ll reach out. Prefer to talk now? Call 888-953-VETS (8387).
Good Questions
Common questions buyers ask about the Texas home buying process — and exactly how it works at Homevets Realty.
Yes — as of 2026, Texas requires a written agreement between you and your agent before touring homes. Think of it as a good thing: it puts our commitment to you, and exactly how we’re paid, in clear writing before you ever step inside a property.
Commissions are always negotiable — they’re never set by law. In many transactions the seller offers to cover some or all of a buyer’s agent compensation, but it’s negotiated deal by deal. We’ll walk you through exactly how it works for your situation before you sign anything.
The option fee buys you the right to walk away during your inspection window and is generally non-refundable, though it’s credited toward your purchase at closing. Earnest money is your good-faith deposit, held by the title company and generally refundable if you terminate within your option period. Both are delivered to the title company within three days of your contract.
Absolutely — it’s at the heart of who we are. As a veteran-owned brokerage serving the Fort Hood community, we’ll make sure your hard-earned VA benefits are working for you and connect you with lenders who specialize in VA loans.
Every purchase is different, but from accepted offer to keys in hand, most financed transactions take roughly 30 to 45 days. We’ll give you a realistic timeline based on your specific situation and keep you updated at every step.
Your contract includes a financing contingency. If your loan is denied within the contract’s terms, you can typically terminate and have your earnest money protected. We’ll guide you through every option if it ever comes to that.
Let’s Begin
Let’s start your home buying process with a no-pressure conversation about what you’re looking for. We’ll answer your questions and map out a plan that fits your life.
This page is for general information and is not legal advice. The terms of your specific transaction are governed by your contract and the current TREC forms. Brokerage compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.