Texas mortgage market at a glance
| Item | Texas |
|---|---|
| 2026 conforming loan limit | $832,750 (baseline, all 254 counties) |
| 2026 FHA loan limit | $541,287 floor; higher in major metros |
| Foreclosure process | Non-judicial (deed of trust, among the fastest in the US) |
| State housing agencies | TDHCA and TSAHC |
Texas does mortgages its own way. No transfer tax. Constitutional limits on home equity lending. Two separate state agencies handing out down payment help. And the fastest foreclosure clock in the country. Know the rules and the state is remarkably buyer-friendly.
Loan limits in Texas
All 254 Texas counties use the 2026 conforming baseline of $832,750. Austin’s west side and Dallas’s Park Cities outgrew that long ago, but FHFA’s formula has not designated any Texas county high-cost, so buyers above the limit shop jumbo loans. For the vast majority of Texas purchases, the baseline is more than enough.
FHA limits start at the $541,287 floor, with higher figures in the big metros. An FHA loan covers most of the starter market in Houston and San Antonio outright.
First-time buyer programs in Texas
Texas runs two parallel agencies, and smart buyers price both. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, TDHCA, offers My First Texas Home and My Choice Texas Home: fixed-rate loans with down payment and closing cost help, plus a mortgage credit certificate option that refunds part of your interest as a federal tax credit. The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, TSAHC, offers Homes for Texas Heroes for teachers, police, firefighters, EMS, corrections officers, and veterans, and Home Sweet Texas for everyone else under the income caps, with assistance of 3 to 5 percent of the loan as a grant or forgivable second lien. Both route through participating lenders. Details at tdhca.texas.gov and tsahc.org.
What closing on a home costs in Texas
Texas has no real estate transfer tax, which deletes a four-figure line item that buyers and sellers split in most states. Title premiums are state-regulated, so title costs do not vary by shopping around, and title companies close most deals. The catch comes after closing. Texas property taxes are among the highest in the country, and your escrow payment will show it.
Foreclosure is non-judicial and brutally fast. Trustee sales happen the first Tuesday of each month, and a default can reach sale in roughly two months. Separately, the Texas Constitution caps cash-out refinances at 80 percent of home value, a real constraint if you planned to tap equity later.
How to get the best rate in Texas
- Quote three lenders. Our best mortgage lenders guide shows who prices Texas well.
- Price TDHCA and TSAHC programs against each other. The better deal varies by profile.
- Model the payment with full Texas property taxes in our mortgage calculator. The tax line will surprise you.
- Use the down payment guide to weigh assistance against your own cash.
- Protest your property appraisal every year. Not a rate move, but it is the biggest recurring savings lever in Texas.
For rates, loan types, and lender rankings, head to our mortgages hub.