Randy Bell, Realtor

McKinney just held its first affordable housing summit and 300 people showed up.
The topic? How do we make sure people can actually afford to live where they work.
Here's what caught my attention:
40% of McKinney households earn under six figures. At those income levels, average rents and mortgages in the city are unaffordable. The people teaching your kids, serving your food, and taking care of your health can't afford to live in the same city they work in.
And this isn't just McKinney. This is happening across Dallas, Collin County, and all of North Texas.
One speaker said something that stuck with me — North Texas affordability has been our biggest competitive advantage for years. But that edge is shrinking.
Here's what I want people to know: there are programs out there right now that help people buy homes who thought they couldn't. I've helped buyers in Dallas access up to $40,000 in down payment assistance through the city. Money they didn't have to pay back. And most of them started by just learning what was actually possible.
If you've been renting and wondering if owning is realistic — it might be more realistic than you think. And if you know somebody who needs to hear this, share this post.
I'm here when you're ready.