How does a Texas 50(a)(6) home-equity (cash-out) loan work?
The 80% LTV cap, 2% fee cap, and 12-day cooling-off — the constitutional rules behind every Texas cash-out.
Texas mortgage guides
Home equity
Home equity
Property tax
Property tax
Property tax
Affordability
First-time buyers
New construction
Self-employed
Texas Mortgage Guides
Plain-English answers to the questions Texas buyers and homeowners actually ask — home equity, property tax, down payment assistance, new construction, and self-employed loans. No rates, no fluff.
Why is my Texas cash-out “stuck” as a home-equity loan — and how do I undo it?
The once-a-50(a)(6) rule and the zero-cash-out 50(a)(4) refinance that removes the designation.
What did the 2026 Texas homestead exemption change actually save me?
The school-district exemption rose to $140,000 ($200,000 for seniors/disabled) — what it does to your escrow.
How do I file my Texas homestead exemption the first year I buy?
Where to file, the deadline, the 10% cap — and why missing it inflates your payment.
Texas property tax escrow in your first year — and the year-two jump
Why new-construction escrow under-collects in year one, then your payment jumps in year two.
How much house can I afford in Texas with no income tax but high property tax?
Why the county tax rate — not the loan rate — is the swing factor in what you qualify for.
What down payment assistance can a first-time buyer get in Texas in 2026?
TDHCA vs TSAHC — up to ~5% of the loan, who qualifies, and how it's repaid or forgiven.
Are Texas builder incentives a good deal — or baked into the price?
$8K–$40K packages, the preferred-lender catch, and how to tell real value from markup.
Can a self-employed Texan qualify without two years of tax returns?
Bank-statement and 1099 programs — qualify on real cash flow, with an expense factor (not 100% of deposits).