HOA Desk

Plano home values just dropped 5.1% in the past year—and it's reshaping the entire DFW market.

Here's what's happening:

✔️ Typical home values fell from $528,510 (Feb 2025) to $501,564 (April 2026)
✔️ That's roughly $27,000 less per home
✔️ Plano now ranks in the top 5 U.S. cities with the largest price declines
✔️ Buyers have serious negotiating power right now

The shift is real. Sellers are facing longer timelines, but buyers? They're finding premium North Dallas locations at better prices than they expected.

This isn't just a Plano story—it's a sign of broader DFW softening. If you've been waiting for the right moment to make a move, the market's sending signals.

What's your take—is this a buying opportunity or a sign to hold tight? 💭

Dallas homes are sitting on the market 43% longer than they were just a few years ago. 📊

Here's what's shifting in the Dallas housing market right now:

✔️ Median days on market jumped from 42 to 48 days year-over-year
✔️ Homes selling for 97.3% of list price (down from higher percentages)
✔️ 35% of homes getting price reductions
✔️ Buyers now have real negotiating power

This isn't a crash—it's a rebalancing. Inventory is becoming more available, which means if you've been waiting for a buyer's market, this could be your moment. Sellers are feeling the pressure, but smart pricing and strategic positioning still matter.

The days of bidding wars and waiving inspections? Those are fading fast in Dallas.

Are you thinking about buying or selling in this market? What's holding you back?

When an HOA board ignores a court order, homeowners lose. A southeast Florida community is learning this the hard way. More than two years after a state arbitrator ruled that new board elections were required, the same board is still in power—appealing the decision while homeowners wait for their democratic process to actually happen.

Here's what's happening:
- The arbitrator's 2024 ruling was clear: hold new elections
- The board appealed instead of complying
- Homeowners remain stuck with leadership they didn't choose
- The legal battle drags on while nothing changes

This isn't just frustrating—it's a reminder that boards have real power, and when they use it to avoid accountability, homeowners need to know their options. Whether it's demanding compliance, escalating to state regulators, or organizing at the next opportunity, staying silent isn't one of them.

Have you dealt with a board that resisted accountability? What finally made the difference in your community?

Dallas home prices just hit a turning point. 📊

Median sale price is now $465,000 — up 5.6% year-over-year — but here's what's actually changing:

• Homes are sitting longer (48 days vs. 42 days last year)
• Only 17% are selling above list price (down from the bidding wars we saw before)
• Sale-to-list ratio dropped to 97.3% — meaning buyers have more negotiating power

Translation? The market's shifting from seller-friendly to actually balanced. For HOA communities, this means property valuations are stabilizing, and homeowners have breathing room they didn't have before.

The days of "list it and watch offers pour in" are fading. Smart sellers are pricing right and marketing harder. Smart buyers are actually getting heard.

What's the housing market looking like in your area? Are you seeing the same shift?

Collin County is absorbing new inventory faster than any other DFW market right now 📊

Here's what's happening on the ground:

• Pending-to-active ratio hit 0.79 — demand is keeping pace with new supply
• New listings averaging $519,500, but homes going under contract at $449,900
• That gap? Room for buyer negotiation
• Homes selling in roughly 48 days on average
• HOA communities in McKinney, Plano, and Princeton are seeing the strongest activity

This tells us something important: renewed buyer confidence is real in North Texas. Inventory is moving, and it's moving fast. For both buyers and sellers in established HOA communities, this is an active period worth paying attention to.

Are you seeing this shift in your neighborhood, or has the market stayed steady where you are?

Your architectural dreams denied? You might have more power than you think. 💡

Texas homeowners in subdivisions with 40+ lots now have a game-changing right: if your construction improvement gets rejected by the architectural review authority, you can appeal directly to the board.

Here's what you need to know:

• You've got 30 days to request a hearing after the denial
• The board must hold that hearing within 30 days
• Both you and the association present your cases
• The board can affirm, modify, or reverse the decision

The catch? The architectural review authority has to give you written notice explaining why they said no. No more vague rejections.

This is a real shift in homeowner protections. For years, some felt their improvement requests were unfairly shut down with no recourse. Now there's a clear path to be heard.

Have you ever had an architectural request denied? What was your experience like?

Your condo unit is creeping into your neighbor's space—and Texas law actually has your back on this one.

Texas Property Code Section 82.064 automatically creates a valid easement for any encroachment, meaning the encroaching portion has legal protection to occupy that space. But here's the catch:

• The automatic easement protects you ONLY if the encroachment wasn't caused by willful misconduct or negligence
• Builders and developers aren't off the hook—they're still liable if they didn't follow approved plans
• Minor encroachments are legally permitted, but they don't excuse poor construction or intentional violations
• This law protects both unit owners AND the integrity of the entire condominium structure

The bottom line? If your unit encroaches on a neighbor's space or common elements, you've got legal protection—but only if it wasn't your fault.

Have you dealt with an encroachment issue in your condo community? What was the outcome?

Dallas just knocked Houston off the throne for new home construction 🏗️

Here's what changed in just one year:

• 11,327 new residential permits in Jan-Feb 2026 (vs. Houston's previous lead)
• 3,009 new-construction home sales in the same period
• A code change from April 2025 allowing up to 8-unit buildings under residential codes

What this means for the DFW market:

Strong builder confidence is flooding in. More housing supply. Better inventory for buyers relocating to the area. And it signals that policy changes can actually move the needle on housing availability.

This isn't just a headline—it's a shift in how the market's responding to demand. The question now is whether this momentum sticks or if other cities catch up.

What's driving your interest in the DFW market right now? Are you watching the housing inventory changes, or is something else catching your attention?

The DFW real estate market just flipped—and it's a buyer's game now 📊

After months of seller dominance, May 2026 marks a major shift. New listings are outpacing pending contracts across all seven major counties, and buyers finally have the upper hand.

Here's what's changed:

✔️ Inventory is flooding the market—Collin County is absorbing fastest at 0.79 pending-to-active ratio, while Hunt and Kaufman are moving slower

✔️ Pricing gaps are widening—sellers in Royse City, Heartland, and Justin are asking 10-18% more than buyers will pay. That's negotiating power

✔️ Price ranges are all over the map—Collin County medians hit $519,500, Dallas County sits at $435,000, and Hunt County offers options under $280,250

✔️ Pool premiums vary wildly—from 15% in Rockwall to 26% in Tarrant. Location matters more than ever

For buyers, this is the most favorable market we've seen in years. Real choice. Real leverage. Real opportunity.

Are you a buyer who's been waiting for conditions like this, or a seller adjusting to the new reality?

Your condo building gets damaged in a storm—but here's what most owners don't realize: YOU can't access the insurance money directly.

Texas law (Section 82.111) is pretty clear about how this works, and it catches a lot of people off guard.

Here's what actually happens:

✓ Your association must carry insurance covering at least 80% of replacement cost on all common elements

✓ When damage occurs, the insurance proceeds go to a trustee or the association—not to individual unit owners

✓ That money gets used first for repairs and restoration. Period.

✓ If damage is really extensive, owners can vote on whether to rebuild. Need 80% to agree to terminate the condo.

Why does this matter? It protects both you and your lender by ensuring the building actually gets fixed. But it also means you're not getting a check for your unit's damage.

The flip side: if only partial rebuilding happens, proceeds get distributed based on each owner's interest.

This is one of those rules that sounds restrictive until your building actually needs it. Then it makes sense.

Have you dealt with a casualty claim in your community? How did your association handle it?