Dallas County

Dallas Mortgage Broker: Home Loans and Jumbo Financing

Dallas County carries some of the highest combined property tax rates in Texas — commonly 2.4% to 2.9% depending on the parcel.

On a $500,000 home that is roughly $1,000 to $1,208 a month in taxes alone, before a dollar of principal or interest. It is the largest variable in most Dallas payment calculations, and it is where affordability actually gets decided.

Here is what shapes the financing in this market.

The tax stack, and the protest culture

A Dallas property's bill typically includes the City of Dallas, Dallas County, the school district, Dallas College, Parkland Hospital District, and sometimes a PID.

Two things follow:

Verify the parcel, not the neighborhood. Rates vary by taxing entity combination, and Dallas's boundaries are irregular — several school districts serve parts of the city, and adjacent incorporated cities carry their own rates entirely.

Protesting your valuation is normal here. Dallas County has an active culture of annual valuation protests, and many owners do it every year. It does not change what you pay at closing, but over a hold it matters. File your homestead exemption the year you buy — the 10% annual appraisal cap on a homestead is worth real money when values rise.

Verify with the Dallas Central Appraisal District.

The Park Cities

Highland Park and University Park are separate incorporated cities entirely surrounded by Dallas, with their own municipal governments and — critically — their own school district, Highland Park ISD.

For financing:

Prices here are multiples of the Dallas median, and essentially every purchase is jumbo above the 2026 conforming limit of $832,750.

The tax rate is lower than Dallas proper, which surprises people. The values are what produce large bills.

A Dallas mailing address does not mean Dallas ISD or City of Dallas taxes. Verify the actual municipality and school district by parcel — this genuinely matters and buyers get it wrong.

Jumbo underwriting here means six to twelve months of reserves after closing, credit generally 700-plus with real pricing tiers at 740 and 760, full two-year documentation including K-1s and business returns, and frequently 10-20% down minimum.

Condominiums, and why warrantability matters

Downtown, Uptown, Victory Park and the Design District hold substantial condominium inventory, and condos are underwritten differently from single-family homes.

The lender reviews the association, not just you. Conventional and FHA financing require the project to be warrantable, and the review covers:

• Owner-occupancy ratio — too high a share of investor-owned units can disqualify the project
• Reserve funding — typically at least 10% of the annual budget allocated to reserves
• Delinquency rate — commonly no more than 15% of owners more than 60 days behind
• Single-entity ownership — one owner holding too large a share is a problem
• Litigation — pending construction-defect or structural litigation frequently disqualifies a project entirely
• Commercial space — an excessive share of commercial use can disqualify

A non-warrantable condo eliminates conventional and FHA financing. Portfolio and non-QM lenders will finance them, generally at higher rates and with larger down payments.

Check this before you fall in love with the unit. Ask for the association's questionnaire, budget and reserve study early. It is the most common way a Dallas condo purchase collapses late, and it is entirely knowable on day two.

Where the market divides

North Dallas and Preston Hollow — established, higher-priced, largely jumbo.

Lakewood, the M Streets and East Dallas — 1920s-1940s Tudors and bungalows, strong renovation activity, and where renovation loans frequently fit.

Oak Cliff and Bishop Arts — historic housing with substantial reinvestment, more accessible entry points.

Downtown and Uptown — condominium and high-rise inventory, warrantability questions.

The northern suburbs — Richardson, Garland, Plano — carry their own rates and districts. Collin and Denton counties generally run lower combined rates than Dallas County, which is a genuine consideration if you are flexible on location.

Programs

Conventional at 3-5% down, conforming under $832,750.

Jumbo above it, as above.

FHA at 3.5% down, widely used in the more accessible submarkets.

VA for eligible veterans — zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and the Texas disabled veteran property tax exemption, which against a 2.7% rate is worth more than any rate improvement available.

Renovation loans — genuinely relevant in East Dallas and Oak Cliff, where the housing stock is old and the reinvestment is active.

Asset depletion and bank statement programs for self-employed borrowers and those whose returns understate their means.

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

The city

Dallas was founded in 1841 at a natural ford on the Trinity River, and grew as a railroad and cotton-trading centre before becoming a banking and corporate hub.

The Dallas Arts District is the largest contiguous urban arts district in the United States — the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Meyerson Symphony Center and the Winspear Opera House within a few walkable blocks.

Klyde Warren Park is built on a deck over the Woodall Rodgers Freeway, stitching downtown back to Uptown across what was a canyon.

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza occupies the former Texas School Book Depository and handles November 1963 with more care than one might expect.

White Rock Lake offers a nine-mile trail loop close to the centre, and the Dallas Arboretum sits on its eastern shore. Fair Park, home of the State Fair of Texas, holds the largest collection of 1930s Art Deco exposition architecture in the world.

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

Frequently asked questions

What are property taxes in Dallas? Dallas County combined rates commonly run 2.4% to 2.9% depending on the parcel — among the highest in Texas. Verify with the Dallas Central Appraisal District.

Are Highland Park and University Park part of Dallas? No. They are separate incorporated cities with their own governments and their own school district, Highland Park ISD, though they are surrounded by Dallas. A Dallas mailing address does not establish the taxing jurisdiction.

What is a non-warrantable condo? A condominium project that fails conventional or FHA project standards — often because of low owner-occupancy, inadequate reserves, high delinquency, single-entity ownership or pending litigation. It eliminates conventional and FHA financing and requires portfolio or non-QM lending.

How do I know if a condo is warrantable? Request the association's lender questionnaire, budget and reserve study early in your option period. It is knowable quickly and it is the most common late-stage failure on a Dallas condo purchase.

What is the conforming loan limit in Dallas County? $832,750 in 2026. Park Cities and North Dallas purchases frequently exceed it.

Should I protest my property valuation? Many Dallas owners do annually. It does not change your closing figures, but it affects your carrying cost over a hold. File your homestead exemption the year you buy.

Are taxes lower in Collin or Denton County? Generally yes — the northern suburban counties commonly run below Dallas County. Worth comparing if location is flexible.

Start with the tax parcel and, for a condo, the association

Two checks resolve most Dallas surprises: pull the actual taxing entities on the parcel, and — if it is a condominium — get the association documents before you are deep into the option period.

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

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