Whether you’re buying your first home in the Dallas suburbs,
relocating to Austin’s booming tech corridor, purchasing near Fort Hood — the largest military installation in the Western Hemisphere — near one of three installations that make up Joint Base San Antonio, investing in a Texas Hill Country vacation rental, or settling into one of Texas’s hundreds of growing cities and communities,
understanding your home loan options is the first step toward making a smart financial decision. The Bookspan Baker Team at Keepsake Loans is licensed to serve Texas buyers statewide.
Texas’s mortgage landscape has one distinctive characteristic: all 254 counties follow the same $832,750 national conforming baseline with no high-cost designations — despite being home to some of the country’s most active real estate markets in Austin, Dallas, and Houston. FHA limits do vary slightly by county in certain metro areas. Texas has no state income tax, making it one of the most financially favorable states for veterans. The Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) administers the only veteran land loan program of its kind in the nation. And two powerful DPA agencies — TDHCA and TSAHC — give Texas buyers access to programs that rival any state in the country.
$832,750 uniform conforming limit across all 254 Texas counties.
$541,287 in most counties; elevated limits in Austin, Dallas, and other high-value metros.
Zero down payment for eligible veterans near Fort Hood, JBSA, Fort Bliss, NAS Corpus Christi, and Texas’s 15 military installations. No state income tax on any income — including military retirement.
Financing above $832,750 for Highland Park, Westlake Hills, River Oaks, Alamo Heights, and Texas’s premier markets.
Lower your rate, shorten your term, or access your home’s equity (with Texas’s unique 50(a)(6) cash-out rules explained).
TDHCA’s My First Texas Home and My Choice Texas Home (up to 5% DPA), TSAHC’s Homes for Texas Heroes and Home Sweet Texas (up to 5% grant), plus local programs in Austin ($40K), Dallas ($60K), Houston ($50K), and San Antonio ($30K).
All 254 Texas counties follow the $832,750 national baseline — no high-cost designations. This uniform structure means conventional financing is consistent whether you’re buying in Houston’s Energy Corridor, Austin’s Domain area, or a Dallas suburb.
FHA Loans serve first-time buyers across Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, and Texas’s vast network of growing cities. Most counties follow the $541,287 FHA floor, while select high-value metro counties in the Austin and DFW MSAs carry elevated limits.
No state has a more significant military presence than Texas. Fort Hood is the largest military installation in the Western Hemisphere. Joint Base San Antonio is the largest joint base in the entire DoD. Fort Bliss is the second-largest Army installation in the country. Texas has no state income tax — including no tax on military
retirement. And the Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) offers the only veteran land loan program of its kind in the nation.
Texas produces extraordinary Jumbo loan demand — from Dallas’s Highland Park and University Park to Houston’s River Oaks and Memorial, from Austin’s Westlake Hills and Barton Creek to San Antonio’s Alamo Heights. For loans above $832,750 anywhere in Texas, Jumbo financing is the path forward.
Texas homeowners across the major metros have built meaningful equity. Texas also has unique legal considerations for cash-out refinancing under Article XVI, Section 50(a)(6). The Bookspan Baker Team provides a complete break-even analysis and explains Texas’s specific cash-out rules for every refinance.
Texas has two major statewide DPA agencies. TDHCA offers My First Texas Home (up to 5% deferred, first-time buyers) and My Choice Texas Home (up to 5% forgivable, all buyers, no purchase price limits). TSAHC offers Homes for Texas Heroes (teachers, first responders, veterans — up to 5% grant or deferred + free MCC) and Home Sweet Texas (all buyers). Local programs in Austin ($40K), Dallas ($60K), Houston ($50K), and San Antonio ($30K) add significant additional layers.
For Texas seniors with long-held equity in Austin, Houston, or Dallas homes, self-employed professionals in the energy, technology, and healthcare sectors, and investors targeting the Texas Hill Country or Gulf Coast STR markets, specialty programs often fit better than standard financing.
$832,750 for a single-family home in every one of Texas’s 254 counties. There are no high-cost county designations in Texas.
Yes — some of the most competitive in the country. TDHCA’s My Choice Texas Home provides up to 5% forgivable DPA with no purchase price limits and no first-time buyer requirement. TSAHC’s Homes for Texas Heroes provides up to 5% as a non-repayable grant for teachers, first responders, and veterans. Major cities add up to $60,000 locally.
Exceptional. No state income tax — including no tax on military retirement. Fort Hood, JBSA, Fort Bliss, and 15 total military installations. The Texas Veterans Land Board adds exclusive
state-level home, land, and home improvement loans for Texas veterans.
Texas has no state income tax but high property taxes — typically 1.5–2.8% of assessed value annually. Always factor taxes into your total monthly housing cost calculation. They are included in FHA DTI qualification and affect affordability significantly in high-growth suburban districts.
FHA Loans allow 580+ with 3.5% down. TDHCA and TSAHC DPA programs require 620 minimum. Conventional Loans typically require 620+. Jumbo Loans typically require 700+.
