You found the house.
You made the offer.
The seller accepted it.
Congratulations!
But now what?
For many buyers, this is when the home-buying process starts to feel a little confusing. You may hear terms like inspections, appraisal, title, underwriting, earnest money, option periods, and closing documents.
Suddenly, there are a lot of moving pieces.
The good news is that you don't have to figure it all out at once.
While every transaction is different, most home purchases follow a similar path between signing the contract and getting the keys.
Here's a simple week-by-week look at what usually happens after your offer is accepted, with a focus on what DFW buyers can expect.
A quick note: Every purchase contract is different, and Texas transactions can vary based on the contract, lender, title company, and property. Your real estate agent, lender, and title company should guide you through the exact deadlines in your contract.
First: You're Under Contract!
When the seller accepts your offer and the contract is signed by all parties, you're officially under contract.
That doesn't mean you're getting the keys tomorrow.
There is still work to do.
Think of this part as the bridge between:
"We found a house!"
and
"Welcome home!"
During this time, you'll typically be working with several people:
- Your real estate agent.
- Your lender.
- A home inspector.
- The title company.
- The appraiser.
- Insurance providers.
- The seller's agent.
Your agent should help you understand what needs to happen and when.
And this is why having a good calendar during the process is so helpful.
There are deadlines.
Lots of them.
Week 1: Inspection and Due Diligence
The first week is often one of the busiest.
One of the biggest things you'll want to handle early is the home inspection.
Schedule Your Home Inspection
A home inspection gives you a closer look at the condition of the property.
The inspector may look at things such as:
- Roof.
- Foundation.
- Plumbing.
- Electrical systems.
- HVAC.
- Attic.
- Windows.
- Doors.
- Appliances.
- Structure.
- Drainage.
The inspection isn't about finding a "perfect" house.
Almost every house has something.
A loose outlet cover?
A dripping faucet?
A door that sticks?
Those things are very different from a major foundation or roof problem.
The goal is to understand what you're buying.
If you haven't already, check out our What Is a Home Inspection? A First-Time Buyer's Guide for a deeper look at the inspection process.
Review the Inspection Report
After the inspection, you'll receive a report.
And it can be long.
Very long.
Don't panic when you see pages and pages of notes.
Your agent can help you sort through the findings and decide what deserves attention.
You may decide to ask the seller for repairs, a credit, or another solution, depending on the terms of your contract and your situation.
Don't Expect a Perfect Report
This is important.
A home inspection is not a pass-or-fail test.
The inspector may point out dozens of small items.
That doesn't mean the house is bad.
Instead, focus on the bigger issues and anything that could affect safety, major systems, or future repair costs.
Week 1: Earnest Money and Option Period
If your contract includes earnest money, you'll need to make sure it is delivered according to the contract instructions.
You may also have an option period under a Texas contract.
The option period can give the buyer a set amount of time to conduct inspections and evaluate the property while retaining certain contractual rights.
The exact terms, deadlines, and fees depend on your contract.
This is one reason you don't want to miss deadlines.
Put every important date on your calendar.
Your agent should also be tracking them with you.
Week 1–2: Your Lender Gets to Work
While you're inspecting the house, your lender is busy too.
If you're financing the purchase, the lender will begin working through the mortgage process.
This may include:
- Verifying your income.
- Reviewing your assets.
- Checking your credit.
- Ordering an appraisal.
- Reviewing your debts.
- Collecting documents.
- Sending the loan through underwriting.
You may hear the word underwriting a lot.
Basically, the lender is reviewing your financial information to decide whether the loan meets its requirements.
Be Ready to Send Documents
Your lender may ask for things like:
- Pay stubs.
- Bank statements.
- Tax documents.
- Employment information.
- Identification.
- Explanations for certain deposits or transactions.
It can feel annoying when you're asked for something you've already sent.
But try to respond quickly.
The faster you provide what the lender needs, the easier it can be to keep things moving.
Don't Make Major Financial Changes
This is a big one.
Once you're under contract, you may be tempted to start celebrating.
Maybe you think:
"We're buying a house! Time for a new couch!"
Maybe wait.
Until your loan closes, be careful about making major financial changes.
That means avoiding things like:
- Opening new credit cards.
- Financing a new car.
- Making large purchases.
- Changing jobs without talking to your lender.
- Taking on new debt.
- Moving large amounts of money without documentation.
Even if you think something is harmless, talk to your lender first.
You don't want a surprise to cause problems with your mortgage approval.
Week 2: The Appraisal
If you're getting a mortgage, your lender will usually order an appraisal.
The appraisal is different from the home inspection.
Inspection vs. Appraisal
The inspection looks at the condition of the home.
The appraisal estimates the home's market value for the lender.
Think of it this way:
Inspection: "What condition is this house in?"
Appraisal: "What is this house worth?"
The appraiser considers factors such as the property, location, features, and recent comparable sales.
What If the Appraisal Comes in Low?
This is one of the things buyers worry about.
Let's say you agreed to buy a home for $400,000, but the appraisal comes in at $380,000.
That doesn't automatically mean the deal is dead.
There may be several options depending on your contract and situation.
Your agent and lender can help you understand your choices.
Possible solutions could include:
- Renegotiating with the seller.
- Bringing additional money to closing.
- Challenging the appraisal.
- Adjusting the purchase price.
- Using another contractual option.
The right solution depends on the specific transaction.
Week 2–3: Title Work
While all of that is happening, the title company is working behind the scenes.
The title company researches the property's ownership history and checks for issues that could affect the transfer of ownership.
This may include things like:
- Existing liens.
- Ownership questions.
- Recorded documents.
- Property taxes.
- Easements.
- Other title matters.
You may not hear much about this process because much of the work happens behind the scenes.
But it's an important part of getting you to closing.
Title Insurance
Your closing team may also help you with title insurance.
Title insurance can protect against certain covered problems with the property's title.
Your title company will explain the available coverage and costs.
Week 2–3: Get Homeowners Insurance
If you're financing your home, your lender will typically require homeowners insurance.
Don't wait until the last minute.
Start shopping for insurance early in the process.
Your lender may need proof of coverage before closing.
And remember that insurance costs can vary significantly.
When comparing policies, look at more than just the monthly price.
Pay attention to:
- Coverage.
- Deductibles.
- Limits.
- Exclusions.
- Wind or hail coverage.
- Flood insurance requirements, if applicable.
Your insurance agent can help explain the details.
Week 3: Underwriting Continues
This is the part of the process that can feel like:
"Are we there yet?"
You may have already provided documents, but your lender may ask for more.
That's normal.
The underwriter is reviewing your loan and making sure everything meets the lender's requirements.
You may receive a list of conditions that need to be completed before the loan can receive final approval.
Your Job: Don't Disappear
Check your email.
Answer your lender.
Send requested documents.
Ask questions if something doesn't make sense.
If you're going out of town, let your lender and agent know.
You don't want a simple missing document to create a delay.
Week 3–4: Final Details Come Together
As closing gets closer, you'll start moving into the final stretch.
Your lender is working toward final loan approval.
The title company is preparing the closing documents.
Your agent may help coordinate the final walkthrough.
Your insurance should be in place.
And everyone is working toward the same goal:
Getting you to closing.
The Final Walkthrough
A final walkthrough usually happens shortly before closing.
This isn't another full home inspection.
Instead, you're checking that the property is in the condition you expect based on your contract.
You'll want to make sure:
- Agreed-upon repairs were completed.
- The home is generally in the expected condition.
- Items that were supposed to remain are still there.
- There are no obvious new problems.
- The home is vacant if required.
- The property is ready for you to take possession.
It's your chance to take one last look before you sign.
If something seems wrong, tell your agent right away.
Closing Day!
You've made it.
Closing day!
This is when you'll sign the documents needed to complete the purchase and your loan.
You'll typically review and sign a lot of paperwork.
Your title or closing team will guide you through the process.
You'll also need to bring or arrange the funds required for closing according to the instructions provided by your closing team.
Be Careful With Wire Fraud
This is extremely important.
Real estate transactions involve large amounts of money, which makes them a target for scammers.
Be very careful with wire instructions.
If you receive an email telling you to send your closing money to a new account, don't simply trust the email.
Verify the instructions using a trusted phone number for your title company or closing agent.
Don't use a phone number from a suspicious email.
A quick phone call could protect you from a very expensive mistake.
After You Sign
Once everything is signed and the transaction is funded and completed according to the closing process, the home becomes yours.
And then comes one of the best parts:
Getting the keys.
You can finally walk into your new house and say:
"We did it."
Well...
Then you realize you have to move.
But that's a problem for tomorrow.
Your Simple Contract-to-Closing Checklist
Here's a quick version you can save:
Week 1
- Review your contract deadlines.
- Deliver earnest money as required.
- Schedule inspection.
- Review inspection report.
- Handle any repair negotiations.
- Start insurance shopping.
- Respond to lender requests.
Week 2
- Complete inspections and due diligence.
- Appraisal is ordered/completed.
- Title work continues.
- Provide lender documents.
- Avoid major financial changes.
Week 3
- Respond to underwriting conditions.
- Confirm homeowners insurance.
- Review loan updates.
- Stay in touch with your agent and lender.
- Watch your closing timeline.
Week 4
- Receive final closing information.
- Review your closing documents.
- Confirm funds needed.
- Complete final walkthrough.
- Attend closing.
- Sign documents.
- Get your keys!
The exact timeline can be shorter or longer depending on your contract, financing, property, and other factors.
What Can Delay Closing?
Sometimes things don't go exactly according to plan.
A closing can be delayed by issues such as:
- Financing problems.
- Missing documents.
- Appraisal issues.
- Title problems.
- Inspection or repair issues.
- Insurance problems.
- Contract changes.
- Delays with required paperwork.
This doesn't automatically mean something is seriously wrong.
Sometimes the transaction simply needs more time.
The important thing is to communicate.
If something changes, tell your agent and lender as soon as possible.
The Best Thing You Can Do Between Contract and Closing
If I could give a buyer one piece of advice during this part of the process, it would be:
Stay organized and don't panic.
There will probably be moments when you wonder why someone needs another bank statement.
There may be a repair you didn't expect.
The appraisal might make you nervous.
Your lender may ask for another document.
That's all part of the process.
You don't have to know how to handle everything yourself.
Your real estate agent, lender, title company, inspector, and other professionals each have a role to play.
Your job is to stay responsive, meet your deadlines, ask questions, and avoid making major financial changes without talking to your lender.
Buying a Home Doesn't End When the Contract Is Signed
Getting an accepted offer is a huge milestone.
But it's not the finish line.
The weeks between contract and closing are when a lot of important work happens behind the scenes.
Inspections help you understand the home's condition.
The appraisal helps your lender evaluate the property's value.
The lender works through underwriting.
The title company works to make sure ownership can transfer properly.
Your insurance is put into place.
And eventually, you sit down at the closing table and sign your name about a million times.
Okay, maybe it just feels like a million.
Then you get the keys.
And that's when the really fun part begins.
You're officially a homeowner.
If you're still in the early stages of buying, be sure to check out our FHA vs. Conventional Loans: Which Is Right for You? and How Much Money Do You Really Need to Buy a Home in DFW? guides.
And if you're thinking about buying a home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, having a knowledgeable local real estate team in your corner can make the entire process feel a lot less overwhelming.
From the first showing to the final set of keys, you don't have to navigate it alone.
