Making the Offer

When you find the right home, the offer is where strategy matters most. Juliana walks through the key sections of the Texas residential contract so nothing in it surprises you.

You will understand earnest money (your good-faith deposit held by the title company) and the option fee, a separate, usually non-refundable payment that buys you the unrestricted right to terminate during the option period.

Juliana also explains why, in competitive luxury situations, certainty often beats price: clean terms, a strong pre-approval, a reasonable option period and a flexible closing date can win over a slightly higher but less certain offer.