If you're buying a home in Texas, you've probably heard that the rules around real estate commissions changed. That leads to one of the most common questions I get: "Do I have to pay my REALTOR® out of pocket?" The short answer: not necessarily. The rules changed how compensation is communicated and agreed upon. They didn't automatically shift the cost onto buyers. What matters is knowing what...
September 2026
At 6.67% on a resale, renting wins in both Houston and Dallas. At 2.99% on new construction with the same 3.5% down, buying wins by year four. Same buyer, same cash to close — here's the full math, plus the eight items of fine print that decide which one is real for you.