Friday, May 29, 2026

Open Houses Are Fading — Here's Why That's a Mistake for Buyers

By Malcolm Davis | May 29, 2026

Something has shifted in the way people buy homes, and most buyers don't even realize it's happening.

A generation ago, the open house was the centerpiece of the homebuying experience. You drove through neighborhoods on Sunday afternoons, followed the signs, walked through front doors, smelled the coffee the sellers had brewed to make it feel like home, and formed a real opinion about whether you could see your life there. It was hands-on, personal, and irreplaceable.

Today, a lot of buyers skip it entirely.

They scroll Zillow at midnight. They click through virtual tours in their pajamas. They watch drone footage on YouTube and review 3D floor plans before they put on shoes. And by the time they decide they're interested in a home, they book a private showing — if they book one at all.

I get it. The technology is impressive. The convenience is real. But here's what I've seen in years of working with buyers in Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove: the buyers who skip open houses consistently miss things that matter — and sometimes miss the home entirely.

Let me explain why open house attendance is declining, and more importantly, why buyers who want to make smart, confident decisions should be walking through more open houses, not fewer.

Why Fewer Buyers Are Showing Up

The decline in open house attendance is real and well-documented. Let's be honest about what's driving it.

The Pandemic Rewired How We Search

The COVID-19 pandemic didn't just change where we worked — it fundamentally changed how buyers interacted with real estate. The aftermath of the pandemic massively decreased the number of people physically attending open houses, and as a result, virtual tours became a very popular alternative. What started as a necessity became a habit. Buyers discovered they could do a lot of their searching from home, and many never went back to the in-person model.

Virtual Tour Technology Has Gotten Genuinely Good

It would be dishonest to pretend virtual tours are a poor substitute. They've gotten remarkably sophisticated. Virtual tours have become a big part of how people start the search — a few years ago, it felt like a workaround, but today it is simply how busy professionals, relocating families, and investors narrow the list before they ever step inside a home.

For buyers relocating from another city — which describes a large portion of the Fort Hood area market during PCS season — virtual tours provide critical access to homes they physically can't visit yet. That's a genuine, legitimate use of the technology.

The 2024 NAR Settlement Changed the Equation

The 2024 NAR settlement brought significant changes to how buyer representation works. Buyers are now required to sign Buyer Representation Agreements before agents can take them to showings. For some buyers — especially those still early in their search — walking into an open house without an agent feels like a lower-commitment way to see homes without triggering paperwork. That's pushed some buyers toward open houses, ironically, while pushing others away from in-person home search altogether.

The Hot Market Hangover

During the frenzied seller's market of 2021 and 2022, open houses became almost irrelevant. Homes were receiving multiple offers before the weekend even arrived. There was no time to attend an open house and think — you had to decide immediately or lose the property. Many buyers were burned by that experience and developed a private-showing-only mentality that stuck even as the market cooled.

Why Open Houses Still Belong in Your Home Search

Here's the thing: the reasons buyers stopped going to open houses are largely based on conditions that no longer exist in the Central Texas market — and on a misunderstanding of what open houses actually offer.

1. No Camera Can Replicate What Your Body Knows

This is the argument that no technology company has been able to overcome, no matter how good their software gets.

No amount of photos or virtual tours can replicate the feeling of walking through a home. Buyers can experience natural light, room flow, and neighborhood ambiance — and these sensory details often make or break a decision.

Think about what a camera can't tell you:

Whether the morning light in the master bedroom is warm and welcoming or harsh and blinding
Whether the kitchen feels open and functional or cramped when you're actually standing in it
Whether the street noise from the road out front is a gentle hum or a constant distraction
Whether the backyard feels like a private retreat or an exposed fishbowl
Whether there's a smell — musty, mildew, pet odor, or fresh paint covering something — that photos will never reveal

Virtual tours offer unmatched convenience, allowing buyers to explore multiple homes from the comfort of their couch — but in-person showings provide an irreplaceable sensory experience: the feel of walking through the space and envisioning life there.

Buying a home is not an abstract transaction. You are choosing a place where you will wake up every morning, raise your family, come home after long days, and build your life. That decision deserves more than a screen.

2. Open Houses Let You Move at Your Own Pace — Without Pressure

One of the most underappreciated advantages of an open house is the atmosphere it creates for buyers.

In a private showing, there's often an implicit pressure to form an opinion quickly. The seller's agent may be nearby. Your own agent is watching your reaction. There's a schedule to keep. The social dynamics of a private showing can compress your thinking at exactly the moment you need to slow down.

Today's buyers often have packed schedules, especially those relocating from out of town. Open houses make it easy for them to stop by on their terms without coordinating with their agent — and this flexibility often leads to higher attendance and better engagement.

At an open house, you can linger in the kitchen. You can stand at the window and look at the view for five minutes. You can walk the backyard twice. You can go back upstairs and look at the master bedroom again. You can think out loud with your spouse or partner without feeling watched. You can take your time — and time is exactly what you need when you're making a $200,000+ decision.

3. You Learn the Neighborhood, Not Just the House

A home doesn't exist in isolation. It exists in a neighborhood, on a street, next to specific neighbors, within a specific driving distance of your job, your kids' school, and your daily routine. An open house is one of the best ways to learn all of that at once.

When you show up on a Saturday afternoon, you see who's outside. You see what the street looks like when people are home. You notice whether the neighbors maintain their property. You feel whether the area feels like somewhere you'd want to come home to every day. You can drive the route from the house to the Fort Cavazos gate and know exactly what your commute looks like.

None of that is available in a virtual tour. It requires being physically present — and an open house is the most natural way to make that happen.

4. Open Houses Are Especially Valuable Early in Your Search

If you're a first-time buyer, or you're new to the Central Texas market, open houses are one of the fastest ways to develop your eye for what's good and what isn't.

For first-time buyers or those early in their home search, an open house is often their first real exposure to a property type or neighborhood — it helps them understand the market and what to look for before making a serious offer.

Every open house you walk through teaches you something. You start to understand what $240,000 looks like in Harker Heights versus what it looks like in Killeen. You start to recognize which floor plans feel functional and which ones waste space. You develop a feel for condition — what move-in ready actually looks like versus a home that needs work — that no amount of listing photos can give you.

That education is free. And it makes you a far better, more confident buyer when you find the right home and it's time to act.

5. The Current Market Rewards Patient, Informed Buyers

Here's something important about the Central Texas market right now: you have time.

Open houses may be less common than they once were, but they can still play an important role in a competitive market — bringing buyers through at the same time can create urgency, shorten the decision window, and make interest feel more immediate than a virtual tour or staggered private showings.

With homes averaging 73 to 100+ days on the market across Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove, you are not in a race. You don't have to decide in 48 hours. You can attend an open house, go home, sleep on it, come back for a second look, and make a thoughtful, informed decision.

That's how major financial decisions should be made. And open houses are built exactly for that kind of deliberate, informed buyer.

6. Open Houses Connect You to Information You Can't Get Online

Combining digital tools with an open house gives buyers the best of both worlds — they can browse online, then come experience the home in person, creating a deeper connection that often leads to faster and more confident decisions.

When you walk through an open house, you can ask the listing agent questions that no website answers. How long has the property been on the market? Have there been price reductions? Are there any known issues with the property? What's the seller's timeline? Is there flexibility on price?

That kind of real-time market intelligence — delivered in person by someone who knows the listing — is genuinely valuable. It can shape your offer strategy, reveal whether a seller is motivated, and help you avoid surprises after you're under contract.

The Right Way to Use Open Houses in Your Search

Open houses work best as part of a strategy, not as a replacement for one. Here's how I recommend buyers approach them:

Use virtual tours to filter, then open houses to decide. Virtual tours are excellent for eliminating homes that clearly don't fit — wrong layout, wrong size, wrong neighborhood. But once a home clears that filter, get there in person before you make any decisions.

Attend open houses in neighborhoods you're considering, even if you don't love a specific listing. Every open house is a data point. Seeing multiple homes in Harker Heights or Copperas Cove gives you a calibrated sense of what the market looks like, which makes you sharper when the right home comes along.

Come prepared. Bring your list of must-haves and deal-breakers. Walk through every room. Open closets. Look at the HVAC unit and the water heater. Walk the perimeter of the property. If something feels off, note it.

Be honest with the listing agent about where you are in your search. If you're actively looking with a buyer's agent, say so. If you're early in the process and just getting a feel for the market, say that too. You'll get better information when you're straightforward.

Follow up with your own agent. After every open house you attend, debrief with your buyer's agent. Share what you liked, what you didn't, and what surprised you. That feedback sharpens both your search and your agent's understanding of what you're really looking for.

The Bottom Line

Technology has changed a lot about real estate. It's made searching faster, more accessible, and more convenient. For buyers relocating to Central Texas from across the country, virtual tools are genuinely important.

But here's what hasn't changed: buying a home is one of the most significant decisions of your life, and you deserve to make it with your whole self — not just your eyes on a screen.

Open houses account for 25% of U.S. home sales, with a strong correlation between open house frequency and sales volume — and they're staging a dramatic comeback as a primary tool for connecting serious buyers with the right properties.

The buyers who walk open houses — who show up, slow down, use their senses, and take their time — are the buyers who make decisions with confidence. They know what they bought. They understand what they're getting. And they move through the inspection process, the negotiation, and the closing with the clarity that only comes from really having been there.

If you're looking for a home in Killeen, Harker Heights, or Copperas Cove, I'd love to show you what's out there — in person. Let's start with an open house this weekend.

Malcolm Davis | Central Texas Real Estate U.S. Army Veteran | Proudly Serving Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove & the Fort Cavazos Community 📞 (254) 419-5073 | 📧 mrdavis324@outlook.com

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

New Construction or Existing Home — Which Is the Right Choice for You in Killeen, Harker Heights, & Copperas Cove?

By Malcolm Davis | May 27, 2026

Happy Memorial Day weekend. If you're spending part of this holiday weekend thinking about buying a home in Central Texas, you're in good company. This is one of the busiest times of year for real estate, and right now, buyers in the Fort Hood corridor are facing a question that comes up in nearly every conversation I have:

Should I buy a new construction home or an existing one?

It's a genuinely important question, and the honest answer is: it depends. Both paths have real advantages. Both have real tradeoffs. And in today's market around Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove, the gap between the two options has narrowed in ways that make the comparison more interesting than it's ever been.

Let's break it down.

The State of New Construction in Central Texas Right Now

First, some context. The Fort Hood area is one of the most active new construction markets in Central Texas. Builders are working across all three cities, with something for nearly every budget:

Killeen has 44 active homebuilders offering over 1,000 new homes across 99 communities, with prices starting as low as $159,990 and ranging up to $1.2 million for custom builds.
Harker Heights features new communities from national builders like D.R. Horton, with homes starting in the $276,990 range for 3–4 bedroom floor plans.
Copperas Cove has 10 active builders across 14+ communities, with prices ranging from $239,999 to $389,990. Flintrock Builders' Freedom Ranch community in Copperas Cove starts in the $250s, with homes ranging from 1,360 to 2,230 square feet. D.R. Horton is also active in the Creekside Hills community there.

Nationally, something significant has shifted in 2026: the price gap between new construction and existing homes has shrunk to a historic low. Builder price cuts, widespread incentives, and smaller floor plans have brought new-home pricing more in line with resale values — creating a buying window that didn't exist just a few years ago. New-construction buyers are now paying nearly a full percentage point less on their mortgage rate than existing-home buyers, thanks to builder financing incentives.

That changes the calculus. And it means you need to look at both sides of this comparison carefully before deciding.

The Case for New Construction

Everything Is Brand New — And Warranted

This one is straightforward. When you buy a new construction home, you're the first person to live there. The roof is new. The HVAC is new. The plumbing, electrical, and appliances are new. Nothing has been through the wear and deferred maintenance that affects every resale home to some degree.

Most builders offer a one-year workmanship warranty covering defects in materials and construction, and many provide longer warranties on structural components — sometimes up to 10 years on the foundation and major structural systems. For a buyer who doesn't want to deal with immediate repairs or worry about aging systems, that peace of mind has real value.

Builder Incentives Are Significant Right Now

This is where the 2026 new construction market gets genuinely interesting. Builders across the country — and here in Central Texas — are competing hard for buyers. Rather than cutting base prices (which would upset neighbors who bought at higher prices in the same community), builders are stacking incentives that directly reduce your cost of homeownership.

The most impactful of these is the mortgage rate buydown. Builders use their profit margins to lower your interest rate — either temporarily for the first two or three years, or permanently for the life of the loan. Major builders like D.R. Horton have offered rates as low as 3.99% on select homes with FHA financing. That kind of rate on a new home in Copperas Cove or Harker Heights can translate to hundreds of dollars per month in savings compared to a resale home financed at current market rates.

Other builder incentives commonly available right now include closing cost contributions, appliance packages, landscaping, window blinds, garage door openers, and design center upgrade credits. When you find a completed spec home that has been sitting for more than 30 days, you have significant negotiating leverage — builders are motivated to move finished inventory quickly.

One important caution: builder incentives are often tied to using the builder's preferred lender. Always compare that lender's total loan costs — interest rate, origination fees, and closing costs — against outside lenders before committing. The rate buydown is real, but make sure the overall package still makes sense for your financial situation.

You Can Customize It

With a new build — especially one you contract early in the construction process — you often have input on flooring, countertops, cabinet colors, exterior finishes, and sometimes floor plan modifications. You get a home that reflects your preferences from day one, without having to live with someone else's taste or spend the first year ripping things out.

This is less true for spec homes (already built or nearly complete), but for homes contracted early in a phase, customization is one of the genuine advantages of going new.

Lower Maintenance Costs in the Early Years

New systems don't fail. New roofs don't leak. A new HVAC doesn't need replacing next year. For buyers on a tight budget who need predictable monthly costs — especially military families managing BAH — the lower maintenance demands of a new home in the first five to seven years have real financial value. Home insurance premiums are also often lower on new construction due to updated building codes, modern materials, and fire-resistant construction.

The Tradeoffs of New Construction

Upgrades Can Add Up Fast

Builders price their base models to look attractive. But the model home you walked through? That's not the base. The quartz countertops, the premium flooring, the extended garage, the third bathroom — those are all upgrades, and they add up quickly. It's not unusual for a home that starts at $280,000 to close at $320,000 after the design center visit. Go in with a firm upgrade budget and stick to it.

Construction Delays Are Real

If you're buying a home that hasn't been built yet, prepare for the possibility that your closing date will move. Supply chain disruptions, labor availability, weather, and inspection scheduling can all push timelines. If you're a military family with a hard report date, a not-yet-built home carries real risk. Spec homes — already built or nearly complete — solve this problem, but you have less customization flexibility.

Smaller Lots and Less Established Neighborhoods

Nationally, about two-thirds of new homes are built on lots under 9,000 square feet. In the Fort Hood area, new communities tend to be on the suburban edge — further from established retail, schools, and community infrastructure. Your neighborhood will grow over time, but if you buy in the early phase of a new community, you may be looking at construction activity around you for a year or more. Trees take time to grow. Amenities take time to open. The neighborhood will get there — but it won't feel fully established on day one.

HOA Fees Are Common in New Communities

Most new construction communities in the Fort Hood area include HOAs. Monthly fees, deed restrictions, and community rules come with the territory. Before you contract a new build, read the HOA documents carefully. Understand what the fees cover, what the rules restrict, and what the budget for the community looks like going forward.

The Case for an Existing Home

More for Your Money in Established Neighborhoods

In Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove, resale homes continue to offer strong value — especially in today's market where sellers are motivated and days on market are stretching past 100 days in some areas. You can often find a well-maintained resale home with mature landscaping, established schools nearby, and a neighborhood that already has its character and community feel — at a competitive price.

Current median prices tell the story: Killeen resale homes around $218,000, Copperas Cove around $222,000, and Harker Heights around $296,000. In each city, you can find resale homes that compare favorably with new construction on price per square foot — sometimes beating it, especially on homes with larger lots or premium locations.

What You See Is What You Get

With a resale home, the neighborhood is established. The trees are growing. The traffic patterns are known. The schools are operating and rated. The neighbors are there. You can drive through on a Tuesday evening and get a real feel for the community you'd be living in — not a marketing brochure rendering of what it might look like in three years.

Faster Closing Timeline

In most cases, resale transactions close in 30 to 45 days from contract. If you're on a PCS timeline, a move-in-ready resale home offers timeline certainty that a to-be-built new construction home can't match.

More Negotiating Room on Price and Terms

In today's Central Texas market, resale sellers are negotiating. Homes are sitting. Sellers are accepting repair requests, offering closing cost credits, including home warranties, and reducing prices. With a skilled buyer's agent in your corner, a motivated resale seller can often match or beat the financial incentives a builder is offering — especially when you factor in the full picture.

The Tradeoffs of Existing Homes

Potential for Deferred Maintenance and Hidden Issues

Every home has a history. Older HVAC systems, roofs nearing the end of their lifespan, plumbing quirks, and foundation settlement — these are facts of life with resale homes in Central Texas. This is exactly why a thorough home inspection is non-negotiable. A great inspector will give you a complete picture of the home's condition, and your agent will help you decide what to negotiate, what to accept, and when to walk away.

You Inherit Someone Else's Choices

The carpet color. The kitchen layout. The paint choices. The backyard landscaping. With a resale home, you're starting with what's there — and changing it costs time and money. If the bones are right and the price reflects the condition, that's absolutely manageable. But go in with clear eyes about what you'd want to change and what it would cost.

Energy Efficiency May Be Lower

Older homes often have less insulation, older windows, and less efficient HVAC systems than new construction built to current codes. In a Central Texas summer where the AC runs hard for months, that can show up in utility bills. Factor energy costs into your monthly budget comparison when looking at resale vs. new construction.

The Real Question: Which Is Right for You?

Here's how I help buyers think through this decision:

Choose new construction if:

You want a warranty and predictable maintenance costs in the early years
You want to customize finishes and make the home your own from day one
You can take advantage of current builder incentives, especially rate buydowns
You're not on a hard timeline that can't absorb construction delays
You're comfortable with a less-established neighborhood while it grows

Choose an existing home if:

You're on a tight PCS timeline and need closing certainty
You want an established neighborhood with mature trees, known schools, and an existing community
You find a well-maintained resale home that pencils out comparably to new construction on price
You want more square footage or a larger lot than what new construction in the area offers
You have strong negotiating leverage with a motivated resale seller

In either case, bring your own agent to the builder's sales office.

This is the most important advice I can give any buyer considering new construction. The friendly person in the builder's sales office works for the builder — not for you. Their job is to sell the homes in that community at the best terms for the builder. You need your own representation, your own advocate, and your own voice in that transaction. A buyer's agent costs you nothing out of pocket in most new construction transactions and can negotiate on your behalf in ways the builder's sales rep is not positioned to do.

Let's Go Look at Both

The best way to figure out which path is right for you is to go see both — with someone who knows this market, knows the builders, knows the resale inventory, and can give you an honest comparison.

That's exactly what I do. I'll show you what's available in new construction communities across Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove. I'll show you the best resale inventory that fits your criteria. I'll help you run the real numbers on both sides — purchase price, incentives, closing costs, monthly payment, and long-term value. And then I'll help you make the decision that is right for your family and your financial future.

No pressure. No agenda. Just honest guidance and strong representation from someone who has lived in this community and works in it every day.

Reach out today. Let's start looking.

Malcolm Davis | Central Texas Real Estate U.S. Army Veteran | Proudly Serving Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove & the Fort Hood Community 📞 (254) 419-5073 | 📧 mrdavis324@outlook.com

Market data sourced from NewHomeSource, Livabl, Central Texas MLS via Zillow, Realtor.com, and NAR — current as of May 2026. All figures are estimates. Builder pricing, availability, and incentives are subject to change. Consult a licensed real estate professional before making any home purchase decision.

Friday, May 22, 2026

If You're Thinking About Buying a Home in Central Texas — You Need to Talk to Malcolm First

If You're Thinking About Buying a Home in Central Texas — You Need to Talk to Malcolm Davis First

May 22, 2026

Buying a home is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. The neighborhood you choose, the price you pay, the terms you negotiate, the problems you catch before closing — all of it shapes your financial future and your family's quality of life for years to come.

That kind of decision deserves more than a Zillow search and a call to whatever agent pops up first.

It deserves someone who knows this market like it's their backyard. Someone who has lived the military experience, understands the VA loan process inside and out, and has spent years helping families in Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove find the right home at the right price. Someone who answers the phone, tells you the truth, and doesn't stop working until you have the keys in your hand.

That someone is Malcolm Davis.

He's Not Just an Agent. He's a Veteran Who Lived This.

Malcolm Davis spent 17 years as a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant — managing logistics, leading teams, and operating in environments where details matter and mistakes cost more than money. He knows what it means to meet a deadline. He knows what a PCS order feels like. He knows the weight of making a major life decision with your family's stability on the line.

When Malcolm sits down with a military family to talk about buying a home near Fort Hood, he's not reciting a sales pitch. He's drawing on lived experience — the kind that no real estate school teaches and no amount of time in a suburban office builds.

That background makes him different. And it makes him better for you.

He Knows Central Texas Like Nobody Else

Malcolm is based in Killeen and works every day in the three communities that matter most to military families and Central Texas buyers: Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove.

He knows which neighborhoods have the best school zones and which ones have drainage issues that the listing photos won't show you. He knows which streets are minutes from the Fort Hood gates and which ones add 20 minutes to your commute. He knows the difference between a motivated seller who will negotiate and an overpriced listing that will waste your time. He knows where the deals are in this market right now — and exactly what it takes to win them.

This is not generic real estate knowledge. This is deep, current, local knowledge earned by being present in this market every single day.

The VA Loan Process Has Zero Secrets From Him

For military buyers and veterans, the VA loan benefit is one of the most powerful financial tools available anywhere in the country — zero down payment, no PMI, competitive rates, and the ability to cover a mortgage with BAH in all three cities at current price levels.

But the VA loan process has nuances that can trip up buyers and their agents if they don't know what they're doing. Minimum Property Requirements. Appraisal timelines. Nonallowable costs. Certificate of Eligibility. How to structure an offer that a seller's agent won't immediately dismiss.

Malcolm has navigated VA transactions extensively. He knows how to get your pre-approval moving on day one, how to screen homes for MPR issues before you write an offer, how to work with a VA-savvy lender to keep underwriting running in parallel with the appraisal, and how to close your deal on a timeline that fits your orders.

For any military buyer in Central Texas, working with an agent who truly knows VA transactions is not a luxury. It is the difference between closing on time and scrambling at the last minute.

He Will Tell You the Truth — Even When It's Not What You Want to Hear

Here is something that separates great real estate agents from average ones: great agents tell you the truth.

When a home has foundation concerns that will cost you $15,000 after closing, a great agent tells you before you fall in love with it. When the asking price is $25,000 above what the comparables support, a great agent tells you before you offer full price. When a neighborhood has issues that won't show up in a listing description, a great agent tells you before you sign the contract.

Malcolm is that agent. He is not trying to close the fastest deal. He is trying to get you into the right home — the one that fits your budget, your family, your lifestyle, and your long-term financial goals. If a home isn't right for you, he will tell you. And if a home is worth fighting for, he will fight hard to get it.

That kind of honesty is rare. And it is worth more than any commission discount or flashy marketing gimmick.

He Negotiates Like His Clients' Money Is His Own

In today's Central Texas market — with homes sitting on the market for 100+ days in some areas, inventory rising, and sellers increasingly motivated — buyers have real negotiating power. But that power only translates into real savings if your agent knows how to use it.

Malcolm approaches every negotiation with the same discipline and attention to detail he developed over 12 years in the Army and years of managing complex logistics and operations. He studies the comparables before recommending an offer price. He evaluates seller motivation based on days on market, price history, and listing details. He knows when to push on price, when to ask for closing cost assistance, when to negotiate repairs, and when to walk away from a deal that doesn't serve his clients.

On a $250,000 home in Central Texas, the difference between a skilled negotiator and a passive one can easily be $5,000 to $15,000 — in price reductions, seller concessions, repair credits, or home warranty coverage. That is real money. That is your money. And Malcolm works to make sure you keep as much of it as possible.

He Is Available When You Need Him — Not Just During Business Hours

Real estate doesn't work on a nine-to-five schedule. Listings hit the market on evenings and weekends. Offer deadlines arrive at inconvenient times. Inspection issues surface on Friday afternoons before a Monday closing. Questions come up at every hour of the day when you're in the middle of the biggest purchase of your life.

Malcolm operates like a professional who understands that your transaction is not a line item on a calendar — it is your family's future. He is responsive, communicative, and present throughout the entire process. He returns calls. He answers texts. He keeps you informed so you are never left wondering what's happening with your deal.

For military families on tight PCS timelines and buyers who simply can't afford to miss a beat, that level of availability is not optional. It is everything.

What Working With Malcolm Looks Like — From First Call to Closing Day

The first conversation. Malcolm starts by listening. He wants to understand your situation — your timeline, your budget, your must-haves, your concerns. Whether you're PCSing to Fort Hood in 60 days or casually exploring your options over the next six months, that first conversation is about you, not about him.

Getting you pre-approved. Before you look at a single home, Malcolm will connect you with a trusted, VA-savvy lender who can get your financing squared away fast. A solid pre-approval is the foundation of every successful home purchase in this market. He will not waste your time showing you homes you're not positioned to buy.

Showing you homes with purpose. Malcolm doesn't do random tours. He researches every property before you walk through the door — pulling comparable sales, checking days on market, reviewing any price history, and flagging anything that could be a red flag. When you walk into a home with Malcolm, you're getting his informed perspective in real time, not just a key and a lockbox code.

Negotiating your offer. When you find the right home, Malcolm builds your offer strategy around the data — what the market says the home is worth, what the seller's situation suggests about their flexibility, and what terms will get you to closing without leaving money on the table.

Managing the transaction to close. From contract to closing, Malcolm keeps every deadline, communicates with every party, and handles every piece of paperwork with the precision of someone who has spent two decades managing complex operations where the details matter. You will not miss an option period deadline. You will not lose your earnest money to a missed filing. You will not be surprised at the closing table.

The Central Texas Market Right Now — And Why It Favors You

If you've been waiting for the right time to buy in Killeen, Harker Heights, or Copperas Cove — 2026 might be that window.

Homes across all three cities are sitting longer on the market than they were two years ago. Sellers are more motivated. Inventory is up. The multiple-offer feeding frenzies of 2021 and 2022 are gone. In their place is a buyer-friendly market where a well-prepared, pre-approved buyer with a skilled agent can negotiate with confidence.

Killeen is offering median prices around $215,000 — one of the most affordable markets in all of Central Texas, with BAH coverage for most ranks at Fort Hood.

Harker Heights has seen prices pull back from their peak, now sitting around $315,000, with homes averaging over 100 days on the market. Motivated sellers, polished suburban neighborhoods, and strong long-term value.

Copperas Cove delivers Hill Country charm, its own Fort Hood gate, strong school ratings, and median prices around $202,000 — the best affordability story in the corridor.

This is the market where smart buyers build real wealth. And Malcolm is the agent who will help you do it.

Ready to Talk?

If you're thinking about buying a home in Central Texas — whether you're PCSing to Fort Hood, relocating for work, buying your first home, or making a long-planned move into ownership — the first call you make should be to Malcolm.

Not because he'll sell you the most expensive house he can find. But because he'll find you the right house. And he'll fight for every dollar you deserve to keep.

That's the commitment. That's the difference. And that conversation starts today.

Malcolm Davis | Central Texas Real Estate Proudly Serving Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove & the Fort Hood Community U.S. Army Veteran | Serving Those Who Served

📞 (254) 419-5073 📧 mrdavis324@outlook.com

All market data is current as of May 2026. Median price figures sourced from current MLS activity. All figures are estimates and subject to change. Consult a licensed real estate professional and VA-approved lender for advice specific to your situation.

Thursday, May 21, 2026

What Is a Short Sale — And Should You Consider One?

A Complete Guide for Texas Homeowners and Buyers

By Malcolm Davis | May 21, 2026

If you've heard the term "short sale" and wondered what it actually means, or if you're a homeowner quietly struggling to make mortgage payments and are not sure what your options are, this blog is for you.

Short sales come up more often than most people realize, and they are widely misunderstood by both homeowners and buyers. Done right, a short sale can be a financial lifeline for a struggling seller and a genuine opportunity for a patient buyer. Done wrong — or ignored until it's too late — a short sale becomes a foreclosure, and foreclosure carries consequences that follow you for years.

Let's break it all down.

What Is a Short Sale?

A short sale happens when a homeowner sells their property for less than they owe on their mortgage, and the lender agrees to accept that lower amount as payment in full — or near-full settlement — of the debt.

The word "short" refers to the fact that the sale proceeds fall short of the full loan balance. The lender takes the loss. The homeowner avoids foreclosure. And the buyer gets a property, often at a below-market price.

Here's a simple example:

You owe $230,000 on your mortgage
The market value of your home has dropped to $185,000
You can no longer afford the payments
Your lender agrees to let you sell for $185,000 and forgives — or negotiates — the $45,000 difference

That $45,000 shortfall is what makes it a short sale. Without lender approval, this transaction cannot happen. The bank has to agree to take less than they're owed, which is why short sales require a level of coordination and documentation that a standard sale does not.

Why Would a Lender Agree to a Short Sale?

This is the question most people ask first. Why would a bank voluntarily take less money than they're owed?

Because the alternative — foreclosure — costs them more.

When a lender forecloses on a property, they take on the costs of the legal process, property maintenance, liability, eventual resale, and market uncertainty. In Texas, a non-judicial foreclosure state, the process can move quickly — sometimes in as little as 30 to 45 days once formal proceedings begin — but the bank still walks away with a property they have to manage and resell. Most lenders would rather receive a clean, market-value payout through a short sale than go through the overhead and uncertainty of foreclosure proceedings.

By approving a short sale, the lender receives a market-value payout quickly and avoids the overhead of managing a foreclosed property. It's a business decision. The lender calculates the net loss of each path and chooses the least damaging option.

Who Qualifies for a Short Sale?

Not every homeowner who is underwater on their mortgage qualifies for a short sale. Lenders evaluate several factors before approving a loan.

Generally, to qualify, you typically need:

1. Financial Hardship You must demonstrate a genuine inability to continue making mortgage payments. Qualifying hardships commonly include job loss or income reduction, divorce or separation, serious illness or disability, the death of a co-borrower, military deployment, relocation for employment, and significant increase in monthly expenses beyond your control.

The keyword is genuine. Lenders are not interested in short sales for borrowers who simply prefer not to pay. If you are still making payments without financial strain, lenders may assume you can continue to do so and may not approve your request.

2. Negative Equity: Your home must be worth less than you owe. If you have equity in the property, the lender will expect you to sell at market value and pay off the loan. A short sale only makes sense when the proceeds of a market-rate sale would still leave you short of your full loan balance.

3. Inability to Cure the Deficiency. You must demonstrate that you cannot cover the gap between the sale price and your loan balance out of pocket. If you have significant savings or liquid assets, the lender may expect you to contribute at closing before they approve the short sale.

The Short Sale Process — Step by Step

Short sales are more complex than standard real estate transactions. Here's how the process typically unfolds in Texas:

Step 1: Consult with a Real Estate Agent and an Attorney

Before you call your lender, consult with a real estate agent who has experience specifically with short sales — ideally one who holds the Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource (SFR®) designation or equivalent training. You should also speak with a real estate attorney about the potential legal and tax implications of a short sale before you proceed. This is not optional advice — it is a critical first step.

In Texas, a real estate attorney can help you understand your exposure to deficiency judgments and the tax treatment of any forgiven debt. More on those shortly.

Step 2: Contact Your Lender's Loss Mitigation Department

Once you've decided to pursue a short sale, your agent will help you initiate contact with your lender's loss mitigation department — the division that handles troubled loans. You are not calling your regular mortgage servicer for this. You are requesting to be connected to the team that evaluates short-sale applications.

Not all real estate agents are equipped to handle short sales. You need someone who understands the specific loss mitigation portals used by major lenders.

Step 3: Prepare and Submit the Hardship Package

The bank will not even look at an offer without a complete hardship package. This is the most documentation-intensive step in the process. Your hardship package typically includes:

Hardship Letter — A signed, written statement explaining your financial situation clearly and honestly. This is not a place for emotion. It is a place for facts: what happened, why you can no longer make payments, and why a short sale is the best resolution for all parties.
Two years of federal tax returns and W-2s
Two months of bank statements — be prepared to explain any large deposits or withdrawals
Most recent pay stubs or documentation of current income
Monthly income and expense worksheet — a detailed breakdown of what comes in and what goes out
Listing agreement — a signed agreement between you and your agent to list the property for sale
Lender authorization form — gives your agent permission to communicate with the lender on your behalf

Providing thorough and accurate information from the start can significantly reduce delays and increase your chances of approval.

Step 4: List the Property and Attract a Buyer

Once the lender has opened your short sale file, your agent will list the property. The listing price matters. Your agent will prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to prove to the bank that the home is being sold for its true current market value. Price it too low, and the lender will reject the offer. Price it too high, and buyers won't come.

All offers should clearly state that they are contingent upon lender approval. Buyers must understand going in that the seller's acceptance of their offer is not the final word — the bank has to approve it.

Step 5: Submit Offers to the Lender for Approval

As offers come in, your agent submits them to the lender for review. The lender will evaluate each offer against their own BPO (Broker Price Opinion) or appraisal of the property. If the offer is close to market value and the hardship package is solid, the lender will likely approve it. If they feel the offer is too low, they may counter.

This is a critical part of the short sale process, as the lender must approve the sale price before it can proceed. In some cases, the lender may counter an offer if they feel it doesn't meet their expectations.

Step 6: Lender Review and Approval

This is the step that tests everyone's patience. Lender review timelines vary widely — from a few weeks to several months — depending on the lender, their workload, whether there are multiple liens on the property, and the complexity of your financial situation.

If there is a second lien on the property, the first lien lender may not allow any funds to be paid to the second lienholder. This means a seller with both a first and second mortgage must do separate short sale negotiations with each lender — and both must agree before the deal can close. This adds complexity and time.

Step 7: Close the Transaction

Once the lender approves the sale, the transaction moves to closing, much like a standard real estate transaction — with title, escrow, and the final transfer of the property. In Texas, the Short Sale Addendum (TXR 1918) should always be attached to the contract to protect both buyer and seller, making clear that the contract is binding upon execution by both parties and that the earnest money and option fee must be paid as provided in the contract.

Short Sale vs. Foreclosure — Why the Difference Matters

For homeowners facing financial hardship, understanding the difference between a short sale and foreclosure is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. They are not equal outcomes.

Credit Impact

Both events damage your credit — there is no way around that. But the damage is meaningfully different:

A short sale typically results in a credit score decrease of roughly 50 to 150 points, reported as "settled for less than the full balance" or "paid in full for less than the full balance."

A foreclosure can drop a credit score by 85 to 160 points — and some sources put the immediate impact as high as 200 to 300 points. It is recorded as a "foreclosure" in your credit file — a specific, public negative event that lenders, landlords, and even employers can see.

Both remain on your credit report for seven years from the date of the first missed payment. But lenders view them very differently. A short sale reflects a proactive effort to resolve a financial difficulty. A foreclosure reflects a debt that had to be taken by force.

Future Homeownership Waiting Periods

For buyers who want to purchase again after a short sale or foreclosure, the waiting periods are significantly different:

After a short sale: typically 2–4 years before qualifying for a conventional mortgage, as little as 2 years for FHA, and VA loan eligibility can sometimes be restored sooner
After a foreclosure: typically 7 years for a conventional loan; 3 years for FHA; 2 years for VA, in many cases

If getting back into homeownership matters to you — and for most people it does — a short sale offers a meaningfully faster path back.

Employment and Background Checks

This one matters especially for military personnel and those in government-related fields. Employment background checks in finance, law enforcement, and government contracting can flag foreclosure as a public record event. A short sale, while still negative, is judged less harshly because it demonstrates proactive resolution of financial difficulty.

For anyone with a security clearance or working in a DoD-adjacent field, this distinction is not minor. A foreclosure carries public record consequences that a short sale, handled correctly, largely avoids.

Control

In a short sale, you — the homeowner — initiate the process. You work with your agent to market and sell the home. You have input into the timeline and the outcome. You are a participant, not a bystander.

In a foreclosure, the lender takes control. You receive notices. The property goes to auction. You have minimal options. In Texas, that process can happen fast — sometimes in under 100 days from the first formal action.

What About the Forgiven Debt — Is It Taxable?

This is one of the most important questions for any homeowner considering a short sale, and it requires the advice of a qualified tax professional — not a real estate agent.

When a lender forgives the difference between your loan balance and the short sale price, the IRS may treat that forgiven amount as taxable income. A federal provision — the Qualified Principal Residence Indebtedness (QPRI) exclusion — has historically provided relief for homeowners whose primary residence debt was forgiven. This exclusion was most recently scheduled to expire at the start of 2026. Congress has introduced legislation to extend it, but as of this writing, its status is unsettled.

Consult a CPA or tax attorney before finalizing any short sale decision. The tax treatment of forgiven mortgage debt can significantly affect your financial outcome — and the rules can change.

What Buyers Should Know About Short Sales

Short sales are not just a seller's story. For buyers, a short sale can represent a real opportunity — but only for buyers who understand what they're getting into.

Potential benefits for buyers:

Below-market pricing is common, though not guaranteed
The property is typically occupied and maintained, unlike many foreclosures
Buyers can conduct a standard home inspection and negotiate repairs
You are buying from a seller in a documented financial situation, not from a bank managing REO inventory

The realities buyers must accept:

Patience is required. The lender's review of your offer can take weeks to months. If you need to close in 30 days, a short sale may not be the right transaction for you.
The seller accepts your offer — the bank has the final word. Your contract is contingent on lender approval. The bank can counter, reject, or simply take a long time to respond.
The property is sold as-is from the lender's perspective. While you can negotiate repairs with the seller, the lender is unlikely to approve a price reduction for condition issues after accepting the offer. Get a thorough inspection early.
Work with an experienced agent. Short sale transactions have layers of complexity that require an agent who has navigated them before.

A Word on Timing — Don't Wait Too Long

In Texas, the foreclosure clock moves fast. Texas is a non-judicial foreclosure state, meaning lenders can move from missed payments to foreclosure sale very quickly — sometimes in as little as 30 to 45 days once the formal process begins.

Most agents don't lose short sales because they're impossible. They lose them because they underestimate the timeline and don't control the process early enough. If you know you're in financial trouble, the time to start the short sale process is before the foreclosure machine starts moving — not after.

Foreclosure starts in Texas ranked among the highest of any state in the first half of 2025, and analysts project that activity will continue rising through 2026. The window to pursue alternatives is shorter than many homeowners assume, and waiting tends to close doors rather than open them.

If you are struggling to make payments, reach out now. Not next month. Now.

The Bottom Line

A short sale is not a failure. It is a decision — one made by homeowners who choose to face a difficult financial reality proactively, protect their credit as much as possible, avoid the public record of foreclosure, and preserve their path back to homeownership.

It is also one of the most complex transactions in real estate, and it requires experienced professionals on your side — an agent who knows short sales, a lender who understands your options, and an attorney or CPA who can advise on the legal and tax implications.

If you are a homeowner in Killeen, Harker Heights, or Copperas Cove who is facing financial hardship and wondering what your options are, I want to have that conversation with you. No judgment, no pressure. Just honest information about where you stand and what paths are available to you.

And if you're a buyer who is interested in short sale opportunities in Central Texas, I can help you navigate those transactions with the patience and expertise they require.

Either way, the conversation starts here.

Malcolm Davis | Central Texas Real Estate U.S. Army Veteran | Proudly Serving Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove & the Fort Hood Community (254) 419-5073 | mrdavis324@outlook.com

This blog is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Short sale transactions involve complex legal and financial considerations. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional, a qualified tax advisor, and a real estate attorney before making any decisions regarding a short sale or foreclosure.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

PCS Season Is Here — How Military Families Can Buy a Home Fast Without Making Costly Mistakes

By Malcolm Davis | May 20, 2026

If you've got orders to Fort Hood this summer, the clock is already ticking.

PCS season in Central Texas runs hard from May through August, and every military family in the pipeline is dealing with the same impossible equation: find a home, get financing approved, close the deal, and be ready to report — all in a timeline that doesn't leave much room for error.

I've been on both sides of this. As a U.S. Army veteran, I lived it. As a real estate agent working with military families in Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove every day, I help families navigate it. And the families who come out the other side with the right home, at the right price, on time — are the ones who prepared before the pressure hit.

Here's what that preparation looks like.

First — Start Your Housing Process the Moment You Get Orders

The single biggest mistake military families make during a PCS move is waiting too long to start the housing search.

PCS planning should begin close to six months out when possible — but most families don't have that luxury. When orders arrive with a 60-day window, the instinct is to deal with the move logistics first and figure out housing later. That instinct is expensive.

Here's why: the best homes in Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove don't sit on the market for 90 days waiting for you to get your paperwork together. The well-priced, move-in-ready homes in good school zones get scooped up. The families who are already pre-approved, already working with a local agent, and already clear on their budget are the ones making offers. By the time you catch up, you're choosing from what's left.

Start the housing process the same week you get orders. Not the week before you move. The same week orders arrive.

Get Your VA Pre-Approval Before You Look at a Single Listing

This is non-negotiable, and it is the step that separates military families who close on time from the ones scrambling at the last minute.

Getting pre-approved for a VA loan is one of the best ways to shorten the homebuying timeline. Pre-approval shows that a buyer will likely obtain financing — eliminating uncertainty and delays — and most lenders recommend getting pre-approved months before starting the actual house hunt.

Before your agent can write a competitive offer, before you can take any listing seriously, you need a full pre-approval in hand — not a pre-qualification. There is a critical difference:

Pre-qualification is a quick estimate based on information you provide verbally. Sellers and listing agents don't take it seriously, and for good reason — it means nothing has actually been verified.
Pre-approval means the lender has reviewed your LES, tax returns, bank statements, and pulled your credit. It's a conditional commitment to lend, and it makes your offer credible from the moment you submit it.

For your VA pre-approval, have these documents ready upfront:

Last 2 years of W-2s or tax returns
Most recent 60 days of bank statements
Most recent Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)
Certificate of Eligibility (COE) — your lender can often pull this directly from the VA system in minutes
Any documentation of additional income (BAH, BAS, disability pay)

The fastest path to closing is getting the COE and LES ready upfront and having underwriting move while the appraisal runs. A military-savvy lender, clear contingencies, and organized documentation are your best speed multipliers.

Understand Your Real Timeline — And Plan Around It

One of the most persistent myths about VA loans is that they take forever. That myth is outdated and costs veterans deals.

Most VA loans close in 30 to 45 days — comparable to other loan types. Some VA loans may close in under 30 days, depending on appraisal turnaround, documentation speed, and property condition.

A PCS VA loan usually closes in 30 to 45 days from contract, but clean, well-documented files can settle in 14 to 30 days.

Here's what the timeline typically looks like:

Week 1–2: Pre-approval, home search, offer submitted and accepted. Week 2–3: VA appraisal ordered — most transactions land within 7 to 20 business days from assignment to report delivery, plus 1 to 5 days for the Notice of Value. Week 2–4: Inspection, option period, underwriting. Week 4–6: Loan approval, clear to close, closing day

The key variables that affect your timeline — and where things go sideways for unprepared buyers — are the appraisal, documentation delays, and property condition issues. All three are manageable if you plan for them.

VA loans can close in as little as 30 days with proper preparation, though allowing 45 days provides a cushion for unexpected delays. Lenders specializing in military clients understand these time pressures and prioritize accordingly.

Know Your BAH — And What It Actually Buys in Each City

Your BAH is your housing budget anchor. Understanding what it covers in each community near Fort Hood will immediately narrow your search and prevent you from falling in love with homes that don't fit your financial reality.

For 2026, an E-5 with dependents receives $1,695 per month at Fort Hood. An E-7 with dependents receives $2,070 per month. Here's how that maps to the housing market right now:

Killeen — With median home prices around $215,000 and homes averaging over 100 days on the market, Killeen offers the best BAH coverage of the three cities. A VA loan at current rates on a $215,000 home typically runs $1,200–$1,400 per month in principal and interest — well within BAH range for most ranks, even after adding taxes and insurance.

Harker Heights — Prices have come down from their recent peak to around $315,000. For E-6 and above with dependents, BAH can stretch to cover a well-priced Harker Heights home, especially with current seller flexibility on this side of the market.

Copperas Cove — The most affordable of the three at around $202,500 median, with its own gate onto Fort Cavazos and strong school ratings. For families who want maximum BAH coverage and a quieter pace, Copperas Cove deserves serious consideration.

The bottom line: in all three cities, your VA loan and BAH working together can put you in a home where the government's housing allowance covers — or nearly covers — your entire monthly mortgage payment. That means every dollar of equity you build is coming out of money the Army was already giving you for housing.

The Costly Mistakes PCS Buyers Make — And How to Avoid Them

Mistake #1: Making a major financial change before closing

After your pre-approval is issued, do not open a new credit account, finance a vehicle, take on new debt, or make large unexplained deposits into your bank account. Any of these can trigger a re-underwriting review that delays or kills your loan. The period between pre-approval and closing is a financial freeze — maintain the status quo until you have the keys in your hand.

Mistake #2: Skipping the inspection because you're in a hurry

PCS timelines create pressure. That pressure sometimes leads buyers to waive the home inspection to speed things up or make their offer more attractive. This is almost always a mistake.

A home inspection in Central Texas typically costs $300–$500. The problems a good inspector catches — foundation concerns, roof condition, HVAC issues, plumbing problems — can cost you tens of thousands of dollars after you've already moved in. Never skip the inspection. Never.

Mistake #3: Choosing a lender who doesn't know VA loans

Veterans benefit from comparing multiple lenders, since VA loan offerings vary significantly. Interest rates, lender fees, processing times, and approval flexibility all differ among institutions.

Working with a lender who does VA loans occasionally — versus one who specializes in them — is the difference between a smooth transaction and a stressful one. A VA-savvy lender knows how to order the appraisal on day one, how to handle Minimum Property Requirements, how to read your LES, and how to keep underwriting moving while the appraisal is in process. That expertise can shave two weeks off your closing timeline.

Mistake #4: Falling in love with a home that won't pass a VA appraisal

VA loans come with Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs) — minimum standards the home must meet to protect the buyer's health and safety. Peeling paint, exposed wiring, active roof leaks, broken windows, non-functional HVAC systems, and certain structural issues can trigger VA appraisal conditions that delay closing or kill the deal entirely.

When you're touring homes on a tight PCS timeline, your agent should be screening for obvious MPR issues before you even make an offer. Walking into a home with deferred maintenance and trying to close in 30 days is a recipe for stress. Walk into a well-maintained home, and the process stays clean.

Mistake #5: Not having a power of attorney (POA) plan

Remote closing is common on PCS files. A power of attorney or mobile notary can handle signing, but the POA must satisfy lender and VA requirements, and occupancy timing must still fit the VA rule and your orders.

If you expect to close while you're still at your current duty station — or if there's any chance your spouse will need to sign documents on your behalf — discuss the POA process with your lender and agent early. This is routine territory for experienced VA lenders and military agents, but it has to be set up correctly in advance.

Use Your PTDY Wisely

Most service members PCSing to Fort Hood are entitled to Permissive TDY (PTDY) — a window of time to travel to your gaining installation and handle house-hunting before your official report date. This time is valuable. Use it strategically.

Contact the Fort Hood Housing Services Office before you arrive to ask about on-post availability, compare wait times, and request off-post referral options in Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove. On-post family housing has waitlists, especially during peak PCS season — don't assume availability.

If you're working with a local buyer's agent, coordinate your showings before you arrive. A good agent can send you video walkthroughs, schedule a focused tour day around your PTDY, and have two or three top candidates lined up so you're not wasting your limited time driving around without a plan.

Local professionals who work with military families understand how quickly things can change. They help coordinate showings, line up inspections, and manage paperwork that fits your schedule.

What to Look for in a Local Agent During PCS Season

Not every real estate agent is equipped to serve military families on a PCS timeline. Here's what you need in your corner:

VA loan fluency. They should know Minimum Property Requirements, how to structure an offer for VA financing, and what to tell a listing agent to set expectations correctly.
Local market knowledge. They should know which neighborhoods sit within commuting distance of the gates you'll use, which school zones serve your family, and which streets have drainage or foundation histories worth knowing.
Speed and availability. PCS season is not the time for an agent who responds to emails in 48 hours. You need someone who answers their phone, moves paperwork fast, and treats your timeline like it's real — because it is.
Military experience. Whether they served themselves or have spent years serving military families, agents who understand the culture of service understand the weight of a PCS move. They don't just process transactions. They take care of people.

You've Handled Harder Things Than This

A PCS move is stressful. Finding a home under a deadline with a family to take care of and a new unit to report to is genuinely hard. I won't pretend otherwise.

But you've navigated harder things than this. You've operated under pressure, managed logistics in demanding environments, and figured out complex problems with incomplete information and a tight timeline. This is a real estate transaction. With the right agent, the right lender, and a clear plan, you can handle it.

Start early. Get pre-approved first. Know your BAH and your budget. Work with professionals who know VA loans and know this market. And when you find the right home, move with confidence.

Fort Cavazos is one of the most significant installations in the United States Army. The communities around it — Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove — are communities that have welcomed military families for generations. You're not just buying a house here. You're putting down roots in a place that knows exactly who you are and what you've given.

Let's find you the right home.

Malcolm Davis | Central Texas Real Estate U.S. Army Veteran | Proudly Serving Military Families in Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove & the Fort Hood Community (254) 419-5073 | mrdavis324@outlook.com

Market data sourced from current MLS activity, VA Loan Network, Veterans United, and the DoD 2026 BAH rate tables. All figures are estimates. Consult a licensed real estate agent and VA-approved lender for advice specific to your transaction and orders.