How to Buy a Home Without an Agent in Texas: TREC Forms, Disclosures, and Process

Texas makes buying a home without an agent about as straightforward as any state in the country. The contracts are standardized. The closings are handled by title companies. The option period gives you a built-in safety net. And there's no legal requirement for attorney involvement.

But straightforward doesn't mean you can wing it. The process has steps, timelines, and decisions that matter. If you're going to represent yourself in a Texas real estate transaction, here's exactly what you need to know.

Step One: Get Pre-Approved

Before you do anything else, talk to a lender and get a pre-approval letter. In Texas's competitive metros—DFW, Austin, Houston, San Antonio—listing agents take pre-approved buyers seriously and filter out everyone else.

Shop at least three lenders. Texas has a strong credit union presence, and local credit unions often offer competitive rates with lower fees than national banks. Compare interest rates, closing costs, and loan products. Ask specifically about conventional, FHA, and VA options (Texas has a large military and veteran population—if you qualify for VA, that's zero down payment and no PMI).

Your pre-approval letter is your credential. It tells the listing agent and the seller that a lender has verified your income, credit, and assets and confirmed you can close. Without it, your offer will likely sit at the bottom of the pile.

Step Two: Find Properties and Schedule Showings

You don't need an agent to find listings in Texas. Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and HAR.com (Houston Association of Realtors, one of the best local portals in the country) all show active listings with full details.

When you find a property you want to see, contact the listing agent directly. Their name and phone number are on the listing. The call is simple: "Hi, I'm a pre-approved buyer interested in seeing the property at [address]. I'm representing myself. Can we set up a showing?"

Texas listing agents work with unrepresented buyers all the time. Some may ask you to sign an acknowledgment form stating that they represent the seller, not you. That's standard—sign it, understand what it means (they're not your advocate), and proceed.

A practical note for Texas showings: many listings in Texas use electronic lockboxes managed by local MLS systems (like NTREIS in DFW or ABOR in Austin). These lockboxes are typically accessible only by licensed agents. If a listing uses one, the listing agent or someone from their office will need to let you in. This is not a barrier—it just means you coordinate the time with them.

Step Three: Understand the TREC 1-4 Contract

The Texas Real Estate Commission publishes the standard contracts used in residential transactions. For a resale home (not new construction), the form you'll use is the TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract, known as the TREC 1-4. You can download it directly from the TREC website.

The TREC 1-4 is a fill-in-the-blank form. It's comprehensive but not complicated. Here are the key sections you need to understand.

Purchase Price and Financing

You fill in your offer price, how much cash you're putting down, and the financing terms. If you're getting a conventional loan, you check the appropriate box. If you're FHA, VA, or USDA, there are specific addenda (also published by TREC) that attach to the contract.

Earnest Money

This is your good-faith deposit, held by the title company. In Texas, earnest money is typically 1–2% of the purchase price. It's applied to your down payment at closing. If you terminate during the option period or under a valid contingency, you get it back. If you default without a valid exit, the seller can keep it.

The Option Period

This is Texas's standout buyer protection. You negotiate an option period—typically 7 to 10 days—and pay an option fee (usually $100 to $500). During this window, you have an unrestricted right to terminate the contract for any reason. Any reason at all. You lose the option fee, but your earnest money is returned.

This is when you conduct your inspection, evaluate the results, and decide whether to proceed. Most buyers think of the option period as the inspection period, and functionally it is. But legally, it's broader than that—you can walk away during the option period even if the inspection is perfect. It's one of the most buyer-friendly provisions in any state's standard contract.

Title and Survey

The contract addresses who pays for the title policy and survey. In Texas, the seller customarily pays for the owner's title policy, and the buyer pays for the lender's title policy (required by your mortgage lender). A survey may already exist (the seller may provide a prior survey), or a new one may need to be ordered. These details are negotiable, and the TREC form has checkboxes for the common scenarios.

Property Condition and Disclosures

Texas law requires the seller to provide a Seller's Disclosure Notice—a form that asks the seller to disclose known conditions affecting the property. Foundation issues, flooding history, HOA details, lead paint (for homes built before 1978), structural modifications, and more. You'll receive this after going under contract (or sometimes before). Read it carefully. If something doesn't match what you observed, ask questions before your option period expires.

Closing

The TREC 1-4 specifies the closing date. In Texas, closings are handled by a title company—not an attorney, not a court. The title company conducts the title search, prepares the closing documents, facilitates the signing, handles the escrow, and records the deed. You'll bring a cashier's check or wire the funds, sign the paperwork, and get the keys.

Step Four: Make Your Offer

With your comps in hand and the TREC 1-4 in front of you, fill in the fields. Your offer price. Earnest money amount. Option period length and fee. Financing type. Closing date (30 to 45 days is standard). Any requests for seller concessions.

Attach your pre-approval letter. Email the package to the listing agent. Keep the cover note brief and professional: "Please find my offer for [address]. I'm pre-approved through [lender] for [loan type] financing and targeting a [X]-day close. Happy to discuss any questions."

One negotiating point that matters in Texas: since you're not bringing a buyer's agent, the seller doesn't need to budget for a buyer-side commission. On a $400,000 home, that's potentially $10,000–12,000 that stays in the deal. Smart sellers (and smart listing agents) recognize that your offer carries lower costs, even if the price is the same as a competing offer with an agent attached. Use this to your advantage when structuring your number.

Step Five: The Option Period (Your Inspection Window)

Once both parties sign the contract, your option period starts. This is your time to get a home inspection, evaluate the results, and decide whether to move forward.

Hire a licensed Texas home inspector. TREC licenses inspectors in Texas, and you can verify a license on the TREC website. A standard inspection runs $350 to $600 depending on the property size and location. In Texas, inspectors check the structural system, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roof, foundation (critical in Texas—clay soils cause significant foundation movement), and more.

Foundation is a big deal in Texas. Depending on where you're buying, clay soil expansion and contraction can cause settling, cracking, and structural issues. If your inspector flags foundation concerns, consider hiring a structural engineer for a separate evaluation. This costs $300 to $500 and gives you a detailed assessment that goes beyond the general inspector's scope.

After the inspection, you have three paths. Accept the property as-is and move forward. Negotiate repairs or credits with the seller using the TREC Amendment form. Or terminate the contract under the option period, lose the option fee, and get your earnest money back.

The option period is your safety net. Use it fully.

Step Six: Appraisal, Title, and Closing Prep

Your lender orders the appraisal. In Texas, this runs $400 to $700. If the appraisal comes in at or above your contract price, you're clear. If it comes in below, you can renegotiate the price, cover the difference out of pocket, or terminate (if your contract includes an appraisal contingency or you're still within the financing contingency window).

The title company runs the title search. In Texas, title companies are well-established and handle the vast majority of residential closings. They'll check for liens, encumbrances, and ownership issues, and they'll issue title insurance to protect both you and the lender.

Three days before closing, your lender sends the Closing Disclosure. Review it against your Loan Estimate. Check every number. If something shifted and you don't understand why, call your lender before closing day.

Step Seven: Close

Closing in Texas is typically held at the title company's office. You sign the deed of trust, the mortgage note, the settlement statement, and various disclosures. The title company officer walks you through each document. The process takes 30 to 60 minutes.

You wire your funds (or bring a cashier's check) for the down payment and closing costs, net of your earnest money. The title company records the deed with the county. And that's it—the house is yours.

No attorney required. No agent required. Just you, the title company, and a clear process.

A Note on Getting Help When You Want It

Buying without an agent doesn't mean buying without any professional support. If you want a Texas real estate attorney to review your TREC contract before you submit it, expect to pay $500 to $1,500 for a flat-fee review. That's a fraction of a buyer-agent commission, and it gives you actual legal guidance—something agents are prohibited from providing.

And if you want a structured system that walks you through the Texas purchase process step by step—comp analysis, offer preparation guidance, option period strategy, inspection interpretation, closing support—that's exactly what platforms like BAIRE provide. BAIRE is an educational technology platform built for self-represented buyers. It's not a brokerage. It doesn't practice law. It provides the knowledge and framework so you can handle the process confidently. At $995, it's roughly one-twelfth the cost of a typical Texas buyer-agent commission.

Next up: You understand the process and the paperwork. But what do listing agents in Texas actually think when an unrepresented buyer walks through the door? The answer might surprise you. Read on: What Texas Listing Agents Actually Think About Unrepresented Buyers.