Elena Garrett, Realtor in Dallas Texas - My Blog

Residential and Investment Properties in Dallas - Fort Worth

Elena Garrett, Realtor in Dallas Texas - My Blog

Buying a Home in Texas: A Clear, Low-Pressure Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

By Elena Garrett, Feb 2026 Buying a home in Texas doesn’t have to feel overwhelming, rushed, or intimidating. In reality, the process works best when you start with clarity, goal-setting, and strategy selection, not paperwork. This guide walks you through the Texas home-buying process in logical phases — from early Read more…


TREC Texas One to Four Family Residential Contract — Plain-English Guide for Buyers (2026)

By Elena Garrett, Feb 2026 Buying a home in Texas involves signing a document called the One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale). This contract is about 12 pages long and contains many legal and technical terms. This guide explains the main sections of the contract in plain English, so Read more…


When a “Discounted” off-Market Rental Turns Into a Perfect Sh*t Storm

This story is a real example of what can happen when even experienced investors step into off-market deals without full visibility. If you haven’t already read the full discussion of on-market vs off-market trade-offs, including what off-market deals do well and where they fall short, read that full breakdown here Read more…


Off-Market Deals for Finding Cash-Flowing Rentals: Pros and Cons

by Elena Garrett, January 2026 You’re a rental investor in North Texas — maybe a few deals in, maybe a portfolio owner. You’re looking for deals that cash flow, don’t turn into rehab black holes, and let you sleep at night. 🧭 Why This Article Exists Some investors swear by Read more…


Find Your Next DFW Rental Faster With This Simple Table

By Elena Garrett, January 2026 If you’re a buy-and-hold investor shopping in North Texas for potential deals under $250,000, you already know the hardest part isn’t finding houses. It’s finding rentals that actually make sense. Most investors spend hours each week opening listings, estimating rent, running quick numbers using various Read more…


Funny But Realistic New Year Resolutions

We all know the secret to New Year’s resolutions actually coming true: make them realistic, make them specific, and break the big “life overhaul” dreams into small, manageable steps. (Because “reinvent myself by February” rarely survives past Week One.) So if you’re staring at a blank page thinking, “Okay…but what Read more…


The Emotional Hangover From the COVID Economy — And What it Means for Real Estate Decisions in 2026

By Elena Garrett, December 2025 Across the DFW real estate market — buyers, sellers, landlords, builders, and flippers alike — many people are still mentally anchored and longing for to the COVID-era market of 2021–2022. Not just the memories, but the expectations that those conditions were somehow “normal” — while Read more…


Will It Be a Flip or a Flop? DFW Flipper Year-End Update

By Elena Garrett, December 2025 Most flippers think this: “If I buy a house under 70% ARV (after repair value)… and then install the right countertops… put in new gray LVP floors… paint everything in white/gray… add canned lights… replace the old windows/toilets/doors… and don’t overspend or make mistakes… I’ll Read more…


DFW Rental Profitability – Table of Zip Codes December 2025

By Elena Garrett, Dec 2025 One of the biggest challenges I see with first-time and newer real estate buy-and-hold investors isn’t lack of enthusiasm or motivation—it’s lack of clear “no” criteria in their search for homes. Most people start their search by scrolling listings that look good, like clean photos, Read more…


TX Home Sellers Year End Update – 2025

Home Market Prices in North Texas – What Exactly Happened? Most home sellers are asking themselves: “Why aren’t prices going up like they did in 2021?” Here’s what the numbers show: 2021–early 2022: Prices jumped fast Multiple offers were common Buyers rushed and overpaid Late 2022–2025: Prices stopped climbing Prices Read more…