Tarrant County

Arlington Mortgage Broker: Home Loans in Tarrant County

Arlington sits in the middle of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, roughly 20 miles from each downtown, and that position is the whole proposition.

You get access to two of the largest job markets in the country from one address, at prices below both — median values run well under Dallas proper. Combined Tarrant County tax rates typically run 2.2% to 2.6%.

Here is what shapes the financing.

The mid-cities position, and what it means

Arlington is a genuinely large city — one of the largest in Texas — that functions as neither a suburb nor a standalone metro.

For a buyer, three practical effects:

Two commutes. Downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth are each roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on I-30 traffic. Households where two people work in opposite directions frequently land here for exactly that reason.

No passenger rail through the city. Arlington is notable among large American cities for having no commuter rail service. TRE stations sit in neighboring cities, and Arlington has experimented with on-demand transit instead. If rail access matters to you, verify what is actually available before you commit — it affects daily life rather than your loan.

A broad price range. The housing stock spans 1950s ranch homes through recent construction, which produces genuine choice at different budgets.

The UTA rental market

The University of Texas at Arlington enrolls roughly 40,000 students, and the neighborhoods around campus support a substantial rental market.

If you are buying to rent:

Conventional investment financing requires 15% down on one unit, 25% on two-to-four, with full income documentation and a qualifying DTI. Agency rules count only 75% of gross rent, generally only once documented on a Schedule E.

DSCR financing qualifies on the property's rent against its payment — no tax returns, no DTI — typically at 20-25% down. Most investors here end up using it. Full detail on DSCR loans.

Two local realities worth underwriting honestly: UTA has a large commuter population, so the rental market is less purely seasonal than a residential campus like Texas Tech — which is genuinely favorable for vacancy. And Arlington has rental registration and inspection requirements for certain properties; verify what applies before you buy.

Taxes

Tarrant County combined rates typically run 2.2% to 2.6% — City of Arlington, Tarrant County, the school district, Tarrant County College and a hospital district.

Three school districts serve parts of Arlington — Arlington ISD, Mansfield ISD and Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD — and the boundaries do not follow city limits. Verify the attendance zone by address, because it affects both the tax rate and, for many buyers, the decision.

Verify the parcel with the Tarrant Appraisal District. A sale resets the appraised value, and the seller's exemptions end at closing. File your homestead exemption the year you buy.

Where people buy

North Arlington holds much of the older established housing — 1950s and 1960s ranch homes on larger lots, generally the most accessible pricing, and where renovation loans frequently make sense given the age of the stock.

South Arlington carries newer suburban construction from the 1980s onward, with HOA communities and straightforward conventional financing.

Viridian on the northeast side is the large master-planned community, with newer construction, amenity infrastructure and a MUD — worth verifying the assessment, since it lands on your tax bill and counts in your qualifying payment.

Near UTA and central Arlington is where the rental math works and where investor competition is strongest.

The Entertainment District around AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field is largely commercial, though nearby residential carries event-day traffic considerations.

Insurance

North Texas sits in an active hail corridor, and this affects Arlington files more than buyers from milder markets expect.

Percentage-based wind and hail deductibles are common — a 1% or 2% deductible on a $320,000 home is $3,200 to $6,400 before coverage responds.

Roof age and condition drive both premium and settlement terms. Some carriers apply actual cash value rather than replacement cost on older roofs, meaning depreciation comes out of a claim.

Get a real quote during the option period and ask specifically about the roof age, the deductible structure and the settlement basis.

Programs

Conventional at 3-5% down, comfortably conforming at Arlington prices.

FHA at 3.5% down, widely used across the mid-market.

VA for eligible veterans — zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, plus the Texas disabled veteran property tax exemption. DFW has a large veteran population and this exemption is worth a great deal against a 2.4% rate.

Renovation loans for the 1950s and 1960s stock in north Arlington.

DSCR and conventional investment financing for rentals near UTA.

Down payment assistance through TSAHC, TDHCA and local programs. More on assistance.

The city

Arlington was a farming community on the Texas and Pacific Railway before becoming what it is now — a city defined by two very different things.

Six Flags Over Texas opened in 1961 as the original park in the chain, named for the six nations whose flags have flown over Texas. It is the reason a generation of Texans knows Arlington at all.

AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field sit side by side, home to the Cowboys and the Rangers. The scale of AT&T Stadium in person is genuinely difficult to convey — it seats over 80,000 and expands past 100,000.

River Legacy Parks runs along the Trinity River on the north side with several hundred acres of bottomland forest and trails — a surprisingly wild stretch given the surrounding density.

Lake Arlington on the west side offers fishing and boating, and the Arlington Museum of Art and Levitt Pavilion anchor a downtown that has seen real reinvestment.

Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport is roughly 20 minutes north.

Not sure which fits? Compare every loan program we place.

Frequently asked questions

What are property taxes in Arlington, TX? Tarrant County combined rates typically run 2.2% to 2.6%. Verify the parcel with the Tarrant Appraisal District.

Which school district serves Arlington? Three do — Arlington ISD, Mansfield ISD and Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD — and the boundaries do not follow city limits. Verify by address.

Can I buy a rental near UTA? Yes. Conventional investment financing requires 15-25% down with full income documentation; DSCR loans qualify on the property's rent instead, typically at 20-25% down. Check Arlington's rental registration requirements before buying.

Is Arlington cheaper than Dallas or Fort Worth? Generally yes for comparable housing, which along with access to both job markets is much of its appeal.

Does Arlington have commuter rail? No. It is notable among large U.S. cities for having no rail transit; stations sit in neighboring cities. Verify current options — it affects daily life rather than financing.

Why is insurance expensive here? North Texas hail. Percentage-based deductibles are common and roof age materially affects premium and whether settlement is replacement cost or actual cash value.

What is Viridian and does the MUD matter? A large master-planned community on the northeast side with a Municipal Utility District. The MUD assessment sits on your tax bill and counts in your qualifying payment — verify the rate.

Verify the school district and the roof

Two Arlington-specific checks save trouble: confirm which of the three districts serves the address, and get a real insurance quote that accounts for the roof's age. Both are quick and both move the numbers.

Start your application · Run the numbers · Call 737-347-1314

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