Brandon Bates - Realtor

Most buyers today are shopping like this:
👉 “What’s the MAX we can afford?”

But the real question should be:
👉 “What monthly payment still lets us enjoy life?” 👀

Because buying the biggest house possible can quickly turn into:
❌ Payment stress
❌ High taxes
❌ Lifestyle pressure

Smart buyers are thinking strategy first — not ego first.

In this video I break down why buying BELOW your max budget can actually build more long-term wealth and flexibility.

📩 DM me “PLAN” and I’ll send you a realistic breakdown based on today’s market and rates.

Remember when buying a house in DFW meant waiving every inspection, skipping the appraisal, and writing a handwritten love letter to the seller just to get rejected anyway?

Yeah. That market is officially done.

Right now there are 30,000 homes sitting on the market — 40% more than this time last year. Homes are taking 77 days to sell. Sellers are negotiating. Builders are paying closing costs. And prices are down over 2% from their peak.

Is it perfect? No. Mortgage rates just bounced back to 6.46% thanks to everyone's favorite thing: geopolitical uncertainty. But the fundamentals in North Texas — the jobs, the corporate relocations, the 150,000 new residents moving here every year — haven't changed.

I put together a 90-second breakdown of exactly what's happening and what it means for buyers AND sellers heading into May. Watch it, share it with someone who needs it, and drop your questions in the comments. I answer every single one. 👇