Josh Penland

I just closed on my house last month — do I need to do anything right now, or does it wait until January?

The answer depends on whether the home currently has a Homestead Exemption. If the property does NOT currently have a Homestead Exemption: file your own within the first 45 days of closing. The first step is updating your Texas Driver's License to your new address, since the appraisal district uses that to verify the home is your primary residence. You can update your address online through the Texas DPS website for $16, and you'll typically receive your new license in 7–10 days. If the property already has a Homestead Exemption: you generally receive the benefit of the seller's exemption for the remainder of the current tax year. Put a reminder on your calendar now to file your own Homestead Exemption in January 2027 (and no later than April 30, 2027) so your exemption continues without interruption. A couple of additional tips that I didn't include in the article: • If you purchased your home between January 1 and May 15, compare your purchase price to the appraisal district's market value. If the county values your home HIGHER than what you paid, consider filing a protest before the protest deadline, typically May 15th. Many new homeowners miss this opportunity because ownership records often aren't updated for several months, so they never receive the appraisal notice. • If you closed between August and November and your taxes are escrowed, set a reminder to check your property tax bill in November. Because county ownership records can lag behind, your mortgage servicer may not automatically receive the first tax bill. Sending them a copy yourself can help prevent a late payment. This is usually only something you need to watch during your first year of ownership. After that your servicing lender will get a copy of the bill. Congratulations on your new home!

Josh, the way you frame the DSCR prepayment penalty as a strategic buy-down mechanism rather than a downside is a genuinely different take, most write-ups treat that 5-4-3-2-1 structure as a trap. Question on matching the penalty term to the exit: for a Central Texas investor who isn't 100% sure whether they'll hold long-term or refinance once rates ease, how do you counsel them on choosing the penalty period? Is there a break-even point where accepting a longer penalty structure stops making sense if there's a real chance they exit early?

Chad, great question. I was in the mortgage business during the early 2000s when prepayment penalties were much more common, and in many cases they weren't in the borrower's best interest. Because of that, I'm not someone who automatically recommends a prepayment penalty. With DSCR loans, it's usually something we discuss only after we've reviewed the other options. If an appraisal comes in with lower than expected rental income and the DSCR ratio is tight, we'll first look at increasing the down payment, then compare fixed rate versus 7yr ARM options, and only then consider whether adding a 2, 3, or 5 year prepayment penalty makes sense. In many cases, the longer the prepayment period, the lower the interest rate. The market environment matters too. If we're in a declining rate environment where refinancing is likely in the next couple of years, a long prepayment penalty may not be the best choice. On the other hand, if rates have already fallen and we're in a stable or rising rate environment, a long term buy and hold investor may benefit more from the lower rate and improved monthly cash flow. Depending on the lender and loan program, the rate improvement can sometimes be meaningful. There isn't a one size fits all answer. Every option has a break-even point, and we calculate that for our clients based on the monthly payment savings, the potential prepayment cost, and most importantly, their expected investment timeline. My goal isn't to sell someone on a prepayment penalty. It's to help them choose the option that gives them the best overall financial outcome. That's exactly why I included it in the article. Most people only hear the downside of prepayment penalties. Like any financial tool, they aren't inherently good or bad. In the right situation, they can be a valuable way to improve cash flow. In the wrong situation, they're something to avoid. I hope that clears this up a bit.

What's your framework for deciding whether seller concessions should go toward a buydown, closing costs, or reducing the purchase price?

Great question. Every client is different. I go over what a $10K drop in price would do to the payment ($65-70 a month with current rates), vs. using it for a buydown or just standard closing costs. Sometime cash to close is important so we use the credit for closing costs. Anyone that feels like payment is the number one concern, we will always end up doing closing costs. Once under contract, we can then determine if we look at permanent buydown or temporary buydowns. If I have a buyer has the cash/funds and cash to close or payment is not as important, they get the best price they can with no concessions.