Grey Square represents residential buyers across three markets. Whether you're a first-time buyer, relocating from out of state, or moving up to your fourth home, the process is the same — a steady hand, an honest read of the market, and an agent who returns every call.
Twenty minutes on the phone. We talk about what you want, what you're working with, and what's realistic in the markets you're shopping. No pressure to sign anything.
If you're financing, we connect you with a lender who'll get a real pre-approval done in 48 hours — not a rate quote, the actual underwriting.
We send a curated list of properties — on-market and off — that match your brief. We refine weekly. We don't dump MLS feeds in your inbox.
We see properties together. We point out the things that matter — the foundation, the roof, the seller's motivation — not the kitchen backsplash.
When you find the one, we write a clean offer at a price the comps support, with terms calibrated to the seller's situation. We negotiate for you. Always.
We coordinate inspectors, appraisal, title, and lender. We renegotiate if the inspection turns up real money. We hand you the keys.
In most transactions, the seller's brokerage offers compensation to the buyer's agent through MLS. Where they don't — increasingly common since the 2024 NAR settlement — we'll discuss compensation up front in a written buyer's representation agreement before we tour anything. The number is negotiable. Nothing is hidden.
Lenders qualify you on debt-to-income, credit, and down payment. A safe rule of thumb is that the all-in monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA) should sit at or below 28-32% of gross monthly income. Texas property taxes run high — typically 2.0-2.7% of assessed value — so the carrying cost on a Dallas or Houston purchase is materially higher than the same price in California. We model this for you on the first call.
No. Conventional loans go as low as 3-5% down with PMI; FHA loans go to 3.5%; VA loans to 0%. Putting less down means a higher monthly payment and PMI until you reach 20% equity, but it gets you into the market faster. The right answer depends on your savings, your job, and how long you'll hold the property.
Texas: title companies handle escrow; closings happen in person or via remote online notarization; option periods (typically 5-10 days) let you walk for a small fee. California: escrow is a separate licensed entity; closings are largely electronic; you have contingency periods (typically 17 days) instead of an option fee. Both states use independent inspectors — never the lender's appraiser as a substitute.
Rates affect your monthly payment, not the long-term value of the home you'll live in. The honest answer: buy when your life requires you to, in a price range you can sustain at today's rates. If rates fall later, you refinance. If they don't, you still have the home. Trying to time the market on a primary residence is a losing game; we've watched it cost clients hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Dallas: high property taxes (no state income tax), strong appreciation through 2024, softer in 2025-26, deepest inventory in our markets. Houston: no zoning, deep new-construction inventory, energy-driven economy. Los Angeles: low property taxes (Prop 13), high state income tax, supply-constrained — bidding situations are common above $1.5M. We work all three; we'll tell you which is the right fit for your situation.