Seller’s Timeline: How Long Does It Take to Close When Selling a Home in Texas?

Before your home hits the MLS, there’s work to do. This phase includes any repairs or touch-ups that will affect buyer perception or pass a VA/FHA inspection, a professional deep clean, staging decisions (if applicable), and professional photography. In some cases, sellers also get a pre-listing inspection so they know in advance what a buyer’s inspector will find — giving them the opportunity to fix it before it becomes a negotiating point during the option period.

How long this takes depends entirely on the condition of your home and the availability of contractors. If your home is move-in ready and needs only a cleaning and photographs, you can be listed in under a week. If you’re addressing deferred maintenance, replacing HVAC filters, touching up paint, and doing minor repairs, plan on two to three weeks minimum.

Once your home is live on the MLS, the clock starts on finding a buyer. In Killeen’s 2026 buyer’s market, the median days on market before an accepted offer is approximately 30–55 days. Homes priced correctly from day one, in good condition, and staged effectively move faster. Homes priced at aspirational levels or needing visible work sit longer — and price reductions further extend the timeline.

The first week on market matters most. Buyer agent search alerts fire when you hit the MLS. Motivated buyers who have been watching for a home like yours will schedule showings immediately. If you don’t see meaningful activity in the first 10–14 days, something needs to change — most often the price.

For VA and FHA buyers specifically: if there are visible condition issues (peeling paint, broken windows, non-functional appliances, handrail issues), those buyers are pre-screened out by their financing constraints before they even make an offer. Addressing MPR-eligible items before listing keeps the full buyer pool available to you.

When an offer comes in, the clock starts. Your listing agent presents it, you have the opportunity to accept, reject, or counter, and if counter-offers go back and forth, each round takes time. Most offers are resolved within 24–72 hours. The executed contract — signed by all parties — is the starting point for all subsequent deadlines.

The effective date of the contract triggers the option period, the title commitment order, and the lender’s appraisal order. Everything downstream flows from this date.

The option period is the buyer’s due diligence window. The buyer pays an option fee (typically $100–$300 in Killeen), and in exchange, they have the right to terminate the contract for any reason and receive their earnest money back. During this period, the buyer’s inspector typically visits the home.

At the end of the option period, one of two things happens: the buyer terminates (you keep the option fee, restart the selling process), or the buyer proceeds. Any repair negotiations should be resolved by or shortly after option period expiration. Repair requests are handled through a TREC Amendment specifying what repairs the seller will make, what credits they’ll provide, or what price reduction applies.

This is where deals most commonly restart or fall apart. A buyer who walks during the option period sends you back to the showing phase. A repair negotiation that can’t be resolved can also unwind the deal — though in practice, most reach an agreement.

Lenders order the appraisal shortly after the contract is executed. The appraiser visits the property, evaluates it against comparable sales, and delivers the appraisal report to the lender. If the home appraises at or above the contract price, the appraisal condition is satisfied and the deal moves forward. If it appraises below, the parties must resolve the gap: the seller can lower the price, the buyer can pay the difference in cash, or the parties can split it — or the deal terminates if no resolution is reached.

VA appraisals have an additional step (Notice of Value) that adds a few days. VA appraisals also involve MPR condition requirements that can result in required repairs before the VA will issue the NOV. Any required VA appraisal repairs must be completed and re-inspected before the loan can close.

While the appraisal is happening, the buyer’s lender is processing the loan application, ordering a title commitment, and reviewing financial documentation. Underwriting verifies income, assets, credit, the appraisal, and title. Underwriters can issue conditions — additional documentation they need before approving the loan. These are normal and usually not a sign of trouble, but they add time.

VA loans take longer through this phase because the VA has its own loan guaranty approval process that runs parallel to the lender’s underwriting. Plan for 45–60 days from contract to closing on a VA transaction.

Shortly before closing, the buyer walks through the property to confirm condition is unchanged, agreed repairs have been completed, and no new damage has occurred. If the walkthrough reveals a problem (a missing appliance, an incomplete repair), the closing can be delayed or the parties may negotiate a credit. Have all agreed repairs completed and documented before the final walkthrough.

Texas closings happen at a title company. You’ll sign the deed, any seller affidavits, and the ALTA settlement statement. After all documents are signed, the lender funds the loan. The title company disburses funds: your mortgage payoff, your net proceeds, commissions, and other closing costs. The deed records and the transaction is complete. Cash deals can close the same day; financed deals close when the lender funds, which may be the same day or the next business day.