Offer Accepted in Texas: What Happens Next — Home Buying Step 10

Your Offer Is Accepted — What Happens Next in Texas

This article is part of my practical, experience-based Home Buying Series. Step 10 assumes you’ve already made an offer and that offer has been accepted.

• Step 1: Know Your Credit
• Step 2: Build a Sustainable Budget
• Step 3: Choose a Lender Who Explains, Not Sells
• Step 4: Fixing Underwriting Issues (“Not Yet” Is Not “No”)
• Step 5: How to Choose a Realtor Who Works for You
• Step 6: Mortgage Types Explained for Buyers
• Step 7: Start Looking at Houses the Right Way
• Step 8: Narrowing the Field
• Step 9: Make an Offer on a House in Texas

Once your offer is accepted, the marathon becomes a sprint. Deadlines matter, momentum increases, and small missteps can have outsized consequences—but skipping steps to “go faster” is how deals fall apart.

When Your Offer Is Accepted in Texas, “Time Is of the Essence” Has Teeth

In Texas, once the contract is executed, timelines begin immediately. There is no pause button.

You will need to:

• deliver option fee and earnest money on time
• schedule and complete inspections within the option period
• negotiate repairs (or credits) quickly and cleanly
• keep your loan, appraisal, and title work on track for closing

Your REALTOR® should be managing the timeline and keeping pressure off you—but if something feels unclear, ask. Silence and missed deadlines are how problems compound.

Earnest Money vs. “Escrow” (Why People Get Confused)

You’ll hear the words “earnest money” and “escrow” used interchangeably in casual conversation, but they aren’t the same thing.

• Earnest money is the deposit you put up to show good faith. It is typically delivered to the title company (the escrow agent) and held under the contract.
• Escrow is the overall holding-and-disbursing process the title company manages. Earnest money sits “in escrow,” but escrow also includes lender funds, prorations, payoffs, and closing logistics.
• Option fee is separate from earnest money. In Texas, the option fee is generally paid to the seller via the title company for the unrestricted termination right during the option period.

If someone says, “I paid the escrow,” they usually mean they delivered earnest money (and sometimes the option fee). If you’re unsure, ask your agent or title company which exact payment they mean.

Earnest Money + Option Fee: Your First Hard Deadline

In Texas, you typically have three days to deliver earnest money and the option fee to the title company after execution (when both parties have signed the contract), or as otherwise directed by the contract.

Do not delay this.

If earnest money is not delivered and the contract is not properly terminated, buyers can find themselves bound to a contract they didn’t intend to complete.

The option period is your contractual escape hatch. During this window, you can terminate for any reason—or no reason—and recover your earnest money. Miss the option deadline, and leverage changes dramatically.

Important: not delivering the earnest money does not automatically void the contract. Buyers have been held to contracts where no earnest money was ever delivered.

If you want to back out, you must terminate the contract properly. Don’t assume that ignoring the deadlines or “walking away” makes the contract disappear.

Wire Fraud Is Real: Verify Everything

One of the biggest modern risks during this phase has nothing to do with the house: it’s wire fraud.

If you receive wiring instructions by email or text—even if they appear to come from your REALTOR®, lender, or title company—treat them as unverified until proven otherwise.

• Call a known, trusted number for your title company (one you already have saved or pulled from a reliable source).
• Do not verify by replying to the email/text, and do not call a phone number contained in the wiring message.
• Save your REALTOR®, lender, and title company phone numbers in your contacts early so you aren’t Googling under pressure.

I recently closed with a title company I’ve used multiple times, and they still called to verify wire details. That’s what you want: slow down, verify, then move money.

Everyone Has a Job After Acceptance

Your REALTOR® should be:

• tracking deadlines and extensions
• coordinating inspections and repair negotiations
• communicating with the other agent
• checking in with title and lender
• helping remove friction so the deal can close on time

You, the buyer, still make the decisions. Your REALTOR® can give advice and opinions, but they can be wrong. You can ask, “What would you do in my shoes?”—but you are the only one wearing them.

If you have doubts after inspections are in, don’t ignore the nagging feeling. Walking away during the option period is not failure. It’s informed decision-making.

A Typical Texas Contract Rhythm (10-Day Option, 30-Day Close)

Most Texas contracts follow a similar rhythm. Dates can vary, but the order rarely does. The two “hard” pressure points buyers feel most are the option deadline and the final three days before closing. When your offer is accepted in Texas, these deadlines are fixed by contract, not preference.

Day 0 — Contract Executed

• Offer is fully signed
• Timelines officially begin
• Option period clock starts

Days 1–3 — Critical Delivery Window

• Earnest money delivered to title / escrow agent
• Option fee delivered as directed
• Seller disclosures delivered (when applicable)
• Survey and/or T-47 affidavit delivered (common)
• HOA documents delivered, if applicable

Days 1–10 — Option Period (Your Big Decision Window)

• Schedule inspections on Day 1 (busy seasons can still push inspection dates late)
• On older homes, consider plumbing and electrical inspections immediately
• Attend the inspection if possible so you understand what matters in real time
• Identify repair issues, estimate costs, and decide whether the deal still makes sense
• Terminate, renegotiate, or proceed before the option deadline

Days 10–27 — Loan, Appraisal, Title, Repairs

• Appraisal ordered and completed
• Repair negotiations finalized and documented
• Lender clears conditions toward final approval
• Title work continues and issues (if any) get resolved

Final 3 Days Before Closing — The Crunch

• Closing Disclosure reviewed and acknowledged
• Final underwriting approval
• Final walk-through
• Funds prepared for closing

A reality check: even cash deals can be delayed by title work. Holidays, spring break, and end-of-month volume all slow things down. If a closing feels too fast, something may be missing.

Seller Disclosures: What They Are—and What They Aren’t

Seller disclosures are designed to share what the seller knows about the property—not to guarantee condition.

In many transactions, disclosures are delivered early in the contract period. Review them carefully, but they do not replace inspections.

Just as important: sometimes there is little or no disclosure. This commonly happens with:

• Estates
• Trustees
• Banks or foreclosures
• Relocation companies

In those cases, the seller may have no personal knowledge of the property. That does not mean there are no problems—it means inspections matter even more, and acting early in the option period matters more.

A Real-World Example: When “Simple” Isn’t

Unusual situations aren’t common—but they happen. Extensions exist for a reason. Delays don’t mean failure; they mean the process is working through reality.

Inspections: Listen More Than You Talk

You should attend the inspection if possible. Walking the property with the inspector helps you understand what actually matters—right now—rather than guessing later.

That said, your job during an inspection is to listen and evaluate, not to direct the process. Inspectors are required to report certain items even when they are minor or expected. Hearing, “We have to note this, but it’s not a big deal,” in real time is invaluable context.

A warning: don’t distract the inspector. Every question, story, or side conversation pulls attention away from their work.

Contractors vs. Inspectors

Your uncle the contractor may be very knowledgeable—but inspectors receive specific training and are regulated by TREC. Contractors and inspectors know different things. You want both perspectives, but understand their roles and limits.

Repairs, Negotiation, and Walking Away

Once inspections are complete, repair negotiations begin. This is where earlier restraint pays off.

If you pressed the seller to the bottom dollar at the front end, expect resistance now.

If something feels wrong—even after explanations—don’t ignore it. There is no rewind and no obligation to proceed if the risk no longer makes sense. Walking away during the option period is not failure. It’s informed decision-making.

Why Step 10 Matters

This is the phase where coordination matters more than enthusiasm. Once an offer is accepted in Texas, the process rewards preparation and punishes tardiness.

If everyone stays engaged, communicates clearly, and respects the process, most deals close—even when they’re messy.

In the next step, we’ll walk through what happens as you move toward closing: final approvals, walk-throughs, funding, and what to expect on the finish line.

About Me — Doug Berry, MBA, REALTOR®

The Bow Tie Agent

I’m a REALTOR® with Better Homes & Gardens Senter, REALTORS® who focuses on helping buyers understand the real-world side of homeownership — from lending and budgeting to navigating underwriting without surprises. With an MBA and experience as a lender with USDA Rural Development’s mortgage programs, I approach the process the same way I do with clients: clearly, calmly, and without sales pressure.

If you have questions about this step, need help preparing for a home purchase, or want a second set of eyes before making an offer, feel free to reach out:

📧 Doug@senterrealtors.com

📞 325-338-9734

🌐 www.dougberry.realtor