Houston · English & Español

Buying your first home shouldn't feel impossible.

We're Casa Verde — a Houston brokerage built for first-generation buyers, first-time buyers, and anyone who's tired of pretending they understand the paperwork. Let us walk you through it.

Start with a free chat See how it works
140+ First-time buyers helped
$0 Buyer-side fees in Texas*
Bilingüe English & Spanish, always
Diana Reyes, founder of Casa Verde

Diana Reyes

Founder & Lead Agent

TX License #0712345 · 8 yrs in Houston

How We Help First Time Buyers
Aá

Plain English (or Spanish).

No jargon, no acronyms, no "we'll explain at closing." Every term, every form, every step gets a real answer in the language you're most comfortable in.

$

Honest numbers up front.

Down payment, closing costs, monthly payment, taxes, insurance — we put it all on one sheet before you tour a single home, so nothing surprises you later.

☷

Patience for first-timers.

You can ask the same question three times. You can change your mind about neighborhoods. You can text us at 9pm. We've done this hundreds of times. You're doing it once.

⚗

Down-payment program scouting.

Texas has more first-time-buyer assistance programs than people realize — TSAHC, TDHCA, Houston's Harvey Home Connect, employer programs. We find what you qualify for.

The Journey
  1. 1

    The conversation

    We meet for coffee or a video call. You tell us where you're at — even if it's "I have no idea where to start." We tell you honestly what's possible. Free, no obligation.

    Day 1 · 30 minutes
  2. 2

    Get pre-approved

    We connect you with a lender we trust (we have three; you pick). They tell you the actual number you can spend, and you find out what your monthly payment really looks like.

    Days 2–7 · Mostly paperwork
  3. 3

    The hunt

    You give us your wish list. We give you a curated set of homes that actually fit your number, your commute, and your gut. We tour together, and we say no more often than yes.

    Weeks 2–5 · 5–15 homes
  4. 4

    Make an offer

    We write the offer together at the kitchen table. We strategize: how much to offer, what to ask for, what to skip. You sign. We submit. Then we wait.

    Day of · 1–2 hours
  5. 5

    Inspection & lender

    The scary-sounding part. We bring our inspector, walk through the report with you, and decide what to ask the seller to fix. Lender finalizes; appraiser appraises. Deep breaths.

    Weeks 6–8 · The longest weeks
  6. 6

    Closing day

    You sign about forty pages. You hand over a check. You get the keys. We bring snacks. You're a homeowner.

    ~Day 60 · About 90 minutes
Affordability Snapshot

Here's what $325,000 actually looks like, monthly.

Most first-time buyers we work with land between $250K and $400K. Below is a real example so you can stop guessing. (We'll do this exercise with your numbers when we meet.)

Run my own numbers →
Example home in Spring Branch $325,000
Down payment (5%) $16,250
Loan amount $308,750
Principal & interest (6.75% / 30 yr) $2,003
Property tax (avg) $595
Homeowners insurance $185
PMI (until 20% equity) $130
Total monthly $2,913

Assumes good credit, FHA-eligible loan, Harris County tax rate.

Honest Answers

The questions every first-time buyer asks us in week one.

How much do I really need for a down payment?

The 20% myth is just a myth. Most first-time buyers we work with put down between 3% and 5%. FHA loans go as low as 3.5%, and Texas has down-payment-assistance programs that can cover most or all of it for qualifying buyers. On a $325K home that means $11,000–$16,000, not $65,000.

What's a closing cost — and how much will I owe?

Closing costs are the fees and prepaids you pay when you sign for the home: lender fees, title insurance, appraisal, recording fees, and prepaid taxes/insurance. Plan on 2–4% of the purchase price. On a $325K home: roughly $6,500–$13,000. Some of this can be rolled into your loan or paid by the seller in negotiation.

Can I buy with credit that's not great?

Yes — FHA loans accept credit scores as low as 580 with 3.5% down, and as low as 500 with 10% down. We have lender partners who specialize in helping buyers with thinner credit files. We'll be honest with you: sometimes the right answer is to spend three months pulling a score from 590 to 640 before applying. We'll tell you which it is.

What does "pre-approval" actually mean?

It means a lender has reviewed your income, credit, and debts, and has issued a letter saying they will lend you up to a specific amount, subject to final underwriting. It's not a guarantee, but sellers won't take your offer seriously without one. It takes about a week and costs nothing.

How long does the whole thing take?

From "first conversation" to "keys in hand," plan on 60–90 days. Pre-approval (1 week) → home shopping (3–6 weeks) → offer accepted to closing (about 30 days). It can move faster, but rushing the inspection and appraisal is where first-time buyers get burned.

Do I have to pay you?

In Texas, in almost every case, the seller pays both their agent and the buyer's agent at closing — meaning our work for you costs you nothing out of pocket. There are some exceptions in 2026 post-NAR-settlement, and we'll explain them clearly at our first meeting.

Where We Work

These are the corners of the city where our clients tend to find their first home — affordable enough to make sense, neighborly enough to feel like home.

Most affordable

Pasadena

Family-focused, working-class, real backyards.

  • Median price$215K
  • 3BR home payment*~$1,950/mo
  • School rating6/10 avg

Where most of our buyers under 30 land their first home. Long commute to downtown but the trade is real square footage on real lots.

Best balance

Spring Branch

Diverse, growing, food scene unmatched.

  • Median price$325K
  • 3BR home payment*~$2,650/mo
  • School rating7/10 avg

Houston's best value for the money in 2026. Twenty minutes to downtown, taquerias on every corner, and the kind of street-level diversity that's harder to find inside the Loop.

Up & coming

East End

Historic, cultural, light-rail accessible.

  • Median price$285K
  • 3BR home payment*~$2,400/mo
  • School rating6/10 avg

Bungalows, taquerias, the Green Line right there. Watch this neighborhood — values are climbing 8–10% a year and the supply of original-character homes is finite.

Family pick

Oak Forest

Mature trees, good schools, real charm.

  • Median price$485K
  • 3BR home payment*~$3,650/mo
  • School rating8/10 avg

Stretches the budget for first-timers, but if you can swing it, the trees, the schools, and the resale make it the smart long-term play. Where families plant for a decade.

*Estimated monthly payment with 5% down, current rates, Harris County taxes. We'll personalize this for you.

First-Time Buyer Stories

Spring Branch · bought 2025

"Diana sat with me and Carlos for two hours the first time we met — just answering questions. We thought a $300K home was impossible for us. She showed us how it wasn't. We moved in with our daughter eight months later."
Maria & Carlos T.

Oak Forest · bought 2024

"I'm single, and I felt weird about being the only first-time buyer at every open house. Casa Verde never made me feel small for asking what felt like dumb questions. They knew the answer either way."
Jasmine W.

East End · bought 2025

"My parents bought their first home in Vietnam thirty years ago. I'm the first to do it here. Diana spoke our language, walked my mom through everything in person, and made sure she understood. That meant everything."
The Nguyen Family
Let's Talk

Tell us where you're at — even if you're three years from buying. We'd rather meet you early than late.

Tell us a little about you.