Think You Can’t Afford a Home in North Texas Right Now? You May Have More Options Than You Think

You're scrolling through homes on your phone. You find one you love. The pictures look great, the neighborhood seems perfect—and then you see the price.

Or worse, you calculate the estimated monthly payment.

Close the app.

I understand why. Affordability is one of the biggest concerns I hear from buyers right now. Higher mortgage rates and home prices have made some people feel like buying a home is simply out of reach.

But here's something I want buyers in Mansfield, Texas, Arlington, Texas, Burleson, Texas, Kennedale, Texas, Grand Prairie, Texas, and throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area to know:

Don't assume everything is out of your budget before you actually look at what's available.

The market has changed.

In many areas, buyers have more choices and more negotiating room than they did a few years ago. And sellers are increasingly recognizing that if they want their home to sell, they have to pay attention to what buyers can realistically afford.

More Sellers Are Adjusting Their Prices

One of the clearest signs of that shift is the number of sellers reducing their asking prices.

According to HousingWire data highlighted by Keeping Current Matters (KCM), more than 40% of sellers are reducing their asking price.

Think about that for a minute.

That's more than four out of every ten homes.

For buyers, that doesn't mean you should expect every seller to slash their price. But it does tell us something important:

Sellers are becoming more willing to meet the market.

And that's very different from the environment many buyers remember from the height of the pandemic-era housing market, when multiple offers and bidding wars were common and buyers often had little negotiating power.

Today, the conversation can look very different.

As Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale explained, sellers are increasingly adjusting their expectations and using more realistic asking prices to help get transactions completed.

That's good information for buyers to have.

Buyers May Have More Room to Negotiate

If you've been sitting on the sidelines because you assumed you couldn't afford anything, it may be worth taking another look.

You might find a home that has already had a price reduction.

You might find a seller who is willing to negotiate.

You might find a home that has been on the market long enough for the seller to become more flexible.

And sometimes the opportunity isn't just in the purchase price.

There may be room to negotiate things such as:

• Seller-paid closing costs

• Repairs or repair credits

• Interest-rate buydowns

• Appliances or other personal property

• Closing dates

• Other terms that are important to you

Of course, every transaction is different, and what a seller is willing to negotiate depends on the property and the circumstances.

But the important thing is to ask.

You don't know what is possible until you have the conversation.

July 2026 Had the Lowest Median List Price for Any July in Five Years

Another interesting piece of the data comes from Realtor.com.

According to its July 2026 housing market data, the median list price nationally was the lowest for any July in the past five years.

That doesn't mean home values have suddenly dropped or that houses are inexpensive again.

Home prices remain significantly higher than they were before the pandemic.

What it does suggest is that sellers are becoming more realistic about where they need to price their homes to attract today's buyers.

And that's an important distinction.

A home doesn't have to be “cheap” for a buyer to have negotiating power.

Sometimes the opportunity comes from a seller simply pricing the home more competitively in the first place.

What Does This Mean for Buyers in North Texas?

This is where I always encourage buyers to look beyond the national headlines.

Real estate is local.

The housing market in Mansfield, Texas isn't identical to the market in Arlington, Texas. And what you're seeing in Burleson, Texas may not be exactly the same as what's happening in Kennedale, Texas or Grand Prairie, Texas.

Even within the same city, the experience can vary dramatically depending on the neighborhood, price range, age and condition of the home, and how well the property is priced.

That's why I don't want buyers to hear a headline saying “home prices are falling” or “homes are unaffordable” and assume they know what that means for them.

Your specific market matters.

For example, if you're looking for a home in Mansfield, you may have opportunities among homes that have been sitting on the market longer than expected. A buyer searching in Arlington may find a completely different mix of inventory and negotiating conditions. Someone relocating to Burleson, Kennedale or Grand Prairie may discover options they didn't realize were available simply because they were looking at the wrong price range or focusing too narrowly on one type of property.

This is where having someone who understands the local market can make a difference.

Don't Let the Interest Rate Be the Only Number You Look At

I know the monthly payment matters.

In fact, it matters a lot.

But when you're deciding whether you can buy a home, there are several pieces to consider.

Your purchase price is one.

Your interest rate is another.

But so are your down payment, property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA costs, potential seller concessions, and the specific loan program you're using.

And there may be opportunities available today that weren't available when the market was moving at lightning speed.

For example, a seller contribution toward closing costs or a temporary interest-rate buydown could potentially make a meaningful difference in your upfront costs or monthly payment.

That doesn't mean every seller will agree to those terms. It simply means it's worth exploring what is possible before deciding that buying isn't an option.

You Don't Have to Buy the Most Expensive House You Qualify For

This is another conversation I like to have with buyers.

Just because a lender says you can spend a certain amount doesn't mean you should.

Your real estate budget should make sense for your entire life—not just the mortgage payment.

Think about your other financial goals. Your lifestyle. Future expenses. Maintenance. Travel. Kids' activities. Savings. Retirement.

The goal isn't simply to get approved for the biggest loan possible.

The goal is to find a home that works for your life and your budget.

And sometimes that means expanding your search geographically, considering a different type of home, looking at homes that need a little cosmetic updating, or taking advantage of a seller who is willing to negotiate.

The Market May Be More Flexible Than You Think

If you've been waiting for prices to crash before you buy, you could be waiting for something that may not happen.

If you've been waiting for mortgage rates to return to the levels buyers enjoyed several years ago, you may also be waiting indefinitely.

That doesn't mean you should rush into buying.

It means you should look at what's actually possible today.

There may be homes in your price range that weren't there six months ago.

There may be sellers willing to negotiate.

There may be financing options worth discussing with your lender.

And there may be neighborhoods you haven't considered that offer the combination of price, location and lifestyle you're looking for.

The question isn't necessarily:

“Is the market perfect?”

It probably isn't.

A better question might be:

“What opportunities exist in my market right now?”

That's a much more useful conversation.

Looking for a Home in DFW?

If you've been assuming you can't afford to buy in Mansfield, Texas, Arlington, Texas, Burleson, Texas, Kennedale, Texas, Grand Prairie, Texas, or another North Texas community, I'd encourage you to take another look before ruling it out.

The national housing market tells us one story. Your specific neighborhood can tell you another.

I'll help you look at the homes that are actually available, understand what they're really selling for, identify opportunities for negotiation, and determine what makes sense for your budget and your goals.

You don't have to wait for the perfect market.

You just need to understand the market you're actually buying in.

I'm Stephanie Deeds, Broker/Owner of Point Realty. If you're wondering what buyers can realistically find and negotiate in your specific DFW market right now, let's talk. I’d love to help you figure out what's possible for you.

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Source & Attribution

The market insights and statistics discussed in this article were originally presented by Keeping Current Matters (KCM) in its article about increasing seller flexibility and opportunities for today's homebuyers. This article has been personalized with Stephanie Deeds' perspective and additional context for buyers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The underlying housing market data referenced in the original KCM article comes from HousingWire, Realtor.com, and other industry sources, including Realtor.com's July 2026 housing market data and commentary from Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale.