Can a Texas Builder Require Its Preferred Lender?

Kaitlin Lovern, founder of the Kaitlin Lovern Real Estate Team, reviewing a cash offer for a North Dallas home seller

Texas New-Construction Financing Guide

Can a Texas Builder Require Its Preferred Lender?

There is no universal yes or no. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guidance supports lender shopping. A builder may still ask for qualification or an application through a named lender, and a written promotion may condition a benefit on a lender choice. Those facts do not prove that actual lender use is universally required or that a specific arrangement is lawful. Separate the events, read the signed documents, compare complete written offers, and send disputed contract or RESPA questions to qualified professionals.

Kaitlin Lovern reviewing information on a smartphone beside a sofa in a residential interior
Six eventsQualification, preapproval, application, intent to proceed, loan approval, and funded closing stay separate
Document firstThe signed contract and addenda matter more than a sales label
Matched offersCompare the same property, buyer, program, term, timing, and benefit

Quick answer, current August 28, 2026: CFPB consumer guidance says a new-construction buyer does not have to use a builder’s associated lender and may shop. That guidance does not decide what a particular builder may ask during qualification, whether a written lender-conditioned benefit qualifies under applicable law, or what happens under the buyer’s signed contract. RESPA, Regulation X, Regulation Z, the builder contract, incentive addendum, affiliated-business disclosure, lender disclosures, loan-program rules, and settlement file can each control a different question. Do not treat “preferred,” “affiliated,” “apply,” “proceed,” and “close” as interchangeable terms (CFPB, accessed August 28, 2026).

Call 214.429.4907 to talk through your next step

Did a builder tell you to use its lender?

Kaitlin can help you collect the written terms, separate the six events, and organize the questions for the builder, licensed lenders, title team, and a Texas attorney.

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Which Six Lender Events Must Stay Separate?

The fastest way to lose control of this decision is to let one word stand in for the whole loan process. A model-home conversation about “using our lender” can refer to a light qualification check, a formal application, a condition for receiving a promotion, or the lender that must fund at closing. Those are different events with different documents and consequences.

EventWhat it meansWhat to verify in writingWhat it does not prove
Qualification conversationA preliminary discussion about the buyer’s possible financing profileWho receives information, what the builder wants, and whether the request is only a screening stepLoan approval, a financing commitment, or required lender use
Prequalification or preapprovalA lender review under that lender’s processWhether credit is pulled, what information is reviewed, and what conditions remainThat the buyer agreed to fund through that lender
Mortgage applicationFor a covered loan, submission of the six TRID application items can trigger a Loan EstimateWhich lender has all six items and when the disclosure is dueApproval, acceptance of an offer, or release from the purchase contract
Intent to proceedThe buyer tells a lender to move forward after receiving the Loan EstimateWhich lender received the instruction and which fees or documents followA promise that underwriting, appraisal, or closing will succeed
Loan approvalThe lender approves the loan, sometimes subject to remaining conditionsWhich conditions remain, whether the property and appraisal are accepted, and what must occur before fundingFunding, closing, incentive legality, or release from the purchase contract
Funded closingThe selected lender funds the completed loan transactionFinal approval, Closing Disclosure, conditions, settlement figures, and funding confirmationThat every earlier referral, disclosure, requirement, or benefit was lawful or valuable

Under the current TRID framework, the six application items are the consumer’s name, income, Social Security number to obtain a credit report, property address, estimated property value, and mortgage amount sought. Once a creditor receives all six for a covered transaction, it generally must deliver or mail the Loan Estimate within three business days. CFPB guidance says the creditor cannot require extra information or verifying documents before providing that disclosure, although it may collect more later (CFPB Regulation Z and TRID FAQ, accessed August 28, 2026).

Schedule a focused conversation with Kaitlin

Ask the builder to name the exact event in writing. “The builder wants me to prequalify” is a different statement from “the promotion requires the affiliated lender to fund.” Never let a casual conversation silently move the file from the first event to the sixth.

Kaitlin’s practical rule: Buying a house is a lot like eating an elephant. You do it one step at a time. Name the current lender event, preserve the document that created it, and do not assume the next event.

The event question is resolved only when the builder identifies the required action, deadline, document, and consequence.

Which Documents Control the Preferred-Lender Question?

A salesperson’s summary can be useful, but it is not the whole file. Build a document hierarchy before deciding whether there is a requirement, a qualification condition, an optional promotion, an affiliated-business referral, or only a preferred relationship.

Order to reviewDocumentQuestion it may answerDo not assume
FirstExecuted builder purchase contract and incorporated addendaQualification, financing, lender choice, deadlines, deposit, default, notices, changes, and remediesThat a brochure or email changes the signed agreement
SecondIncentive, promotion, pricing, or options addendumExactly what benefit is conditioned on which lender event and whenThat the headline benefit equals net value
ThirdAffiliated Business Arrangement disclosureRelationship, possible financial benefit, estimated charges, and shopping languageThat “preferred” proves affiliation or that disclosure proves compliance
FourthLoan Estimates and other lender disclosuresRate, APR, points, lender-controlled fees, credits, cash to close, payment, and five-year cost for each written scenarioThat a Loan Estimate is approval or a commitment
FifthApplicable loan-program and investor requirementsHow the specific contribution, credit, or affiliated-lender benefit is classified for this loanThat one universal contribution cap applies
SixthTitle and settlement fileHow signed terms, credits, fees, lender choice, and disclosures appear at settlementThat an earlier sales estimate is the final settlement result
SupportingEmails, portal messages, advertisements, worksheets, and textsWhat was represented, by whom, on what date, and subject to which conditionsThat informal wording overrides the signed documents

If two documents conflict, do not pick the one you prefer. Mark the conflict, preserve both versions, and ask the appropriate owner to resolve it in writing. The builder can explain its business term. The licensed lender can explain its offer and underwriting. The title or settlement team can explain its file. A Texas attorney interprets legal effect, enforceability, default, deposit, cancellation, damages, waiver, and remedies.

The builder-agreement issues are broader than lender choice. For registration, representation, compensation, and the buyer-seller purchase contract, read What Happens to My Agreement With a Texas Builder? For completion changes after signing, see What If My Texas Builder Changes the Completion Date?

A claim is document-ready when it names the legal entity, exact clause, required event, conditioned benefit, deadline, and stated consequence.

What Do RESPA and Regulation X Change?

RESPA Section 8, codified at 12 U.S.C. § 2607, prohibits specified fees, kickbacks, and things of value for referrals involving settlement services. The statute also addresses affiliated-business arrangements under a fact-specific set of conditions. Those conditions include disclosure of the relationship and estimated charges, no prohibited required use, and limits on what value may be received from the arrangement (12 U.S.C. § 2607, accessed August 28, 2026).

Regulation X implements those rules. Its required-use definition addresses conditioning access to a distinct service or property on using a particular settlement provider when the consumer pays for that service or a related charge. The definition also contains a qualification for an optional package or discount involving multiple settlement services when it is a true discount below otherwise available prices and is not made up through higher settlement costs. That qualification requires complete evidence. A headline credit or upgrade does not establish it (Regulation X § 1024.2, accessed August 28, 2026).

Regulation X § 1024.15 addresses affiliated-business arrangements, and Appendix D supplies a model disclosure format. The disclosure is designed to identify the relationship, possible financial benefit, estimated charges, and the consumer’s freedom to shop. Receiving or signing that disclosure does not by itself prove that every referral, condition, payment, or promotion complies with law. It also does not create a universal waiver of rights (Regulation X § 1024.15 and Appendix D, accessed August 28, 2026).

CFPB’s RESPA guidance distinguishes an incentive a settlement-service provider offers its own consumer from an incentive paid for that consumer to refer other business. The complete facts still matter. Ask who funds the benefit, which legal entity receives value, which action earns the benefit, whether another settlement service is involved, whether the option is genuinely optional, and whether costs rise elsewhere (CFPB RESPA FAQ, accessed August 28, 2026).

Talk through the details at 214.429.4907

Legal boundary: Do not declare a named builder-lender arrangement lawful or unlawful from a blog. Preserve the contract, promotion, Affiliated Business Arrangement disclosure, complete lender offers, communications, and settlement documents for a Texas attorney or other qualified compliance professional.

RESPA analysis begins with the complete flow of referrals, disclosures, conditions, services, charges, benefits, and value.

Need the documents organized before you respond?

Kaitlin can help separate what the builder requested from what the contract requires and what the lender disclosures actually show.

Call KaitlinSchedule a File ReviewReview Buying With Kaitlin

Use the Preferred-Lender Requirement Decoder

The Preferred-Lender Requirement Decoder is a source-control asset, not a legal scorecard. Enter one written statement per row. If a builder representative says something new, create a new row instead of replacing the old statement. Use “unresolved” whenever the actual document, entity, or consequence is missing.

DocumentIssuer or legal entityRequired eventAffiliation disclosed?Conditioned benefitMatched comparisonAffected deadline or depositAnswer ownerStatus
Builder purchase contractEnter exact seller entityQuote qualification, application, lender use, or funding languageRecord only if the document says soQuote exact term or “none stated”Not an economic comparisonQuote clause, deadline, and stated consequenceBuilder for business facts; Texas attorney for legal effectVerified or unresolved
Incentive or promotion addendumEnter builder, affiliate, or other issuerQuote the event that earns the benefitCross-reference the disclosureDescribe without adding a value not shownAttach both matched Loan Estimates and full termsExpiration, election, change, or deposit languageBuilder, lenders, title, attorney as neededVerified or unresolved
Affiliated Business Arrangement disclosureList referring and referred entitiesRecord the referral, not an assumed funding dutyRelationship and possible benefit stated?Not an incentive document unless it expressly says soCompare estimated charges with actual written offersDisclosure timing, if materialCompliance or legal professionalVerified or unresolved
Preferred lender Loan EstimateExact creditor nameApplication and disclosed offerDo not infer from brandingShow only credits disclosed in writingSame property, buyer, program, term, timing, and lock basisExpirations and conditions shown by lenderLicensed lenderVerified or unresolved
Outside lender Loan EstimateExact creditor nameApplication and disclosed offerNot applicable unless another relationship existsShow only written lender creditsMatch every controlled inputOutside lender’s approval and closing pathLicensed lenderVerified or unresolved
Builder email, text, portal, or advertisementName sender and legal entity if knownQuote the exact requested actionUnknown unless separately documentedRecord exact written wordingRequires supporting contract and lender documentsRecord any stated date or consequenceBuilder confirms; counsel reviews legal effectVerified or unresolved
Settlement statement or closing fileTitle or settlement providerFunding and settlementCross-check disclosuresConfirm final treatment of every approved creditReconcile with the selected written offerFunding, recording, and contract timingTitle, lender, parties, counsel as neededVerified or unresolved

Three labels are useful in the status column: verified means the source and owner agree; unresolved means material evidence is missing; disputed means the documents or owners conflict. Do not convert disputed into verified because the sales conversation is urgent.

Book a private planning conversation

The decoder is complete only when every claimed requirement and conditioned benefit has a source, legal entity, event, comparison, consequence, accountable owner, and proof. If the builder’s document says only “preferred lender,” the requirement column remains unresolved.

The decoder turns a vague sales statement into a list of questions that the correct professionals can actually answer.

How Do I Compare the Preferred Lender and an Outside Lender?

Do not compare a builder’s headline benefit with an outside lender’s rate. That puts one piece of one offer against a different piece of another. A useful comparison controls the same transaction inputs and examines complete written scenarios.

Require both offers to use the same:

  1. property and purchase price;
  2. buyer, occupancy, down payment, loan amount, loan program, and term;
  3. quote window and comparable lock period;
  4. written builder benefit or purchase term;
  5. rate, APR, points, lender-controlled fees, credits, cash to close, monthly payment, and CFPB five-year cost; and
  6. lock, extension, appraisal, underwriting, approval, and closing conditions.

If an input cannot be matched, label the difference before comparing. A different loan program, down payment, occupancy, lock period, or quote date can change the offer. A promotion may also be funded by the builder, the lender, another affiliate, or more than one party. Ask each legal entity to identify its part in writing.

Comparison fieldPreferred lenderOutside lenderControl question
Property and purchase termsEnter exact written scenarioEnter the same scenarioAre property, price, down payment, occupancy, loan amount, term, and program identical?
Rate, APR, and pointsUse dated Loan EstimateUse same-window Loan EstimateAre lock periods and pricing dates comparable?
Lender-controlled feesItemizeItemizeAre fee labels and services being compared consistently?
Builder and lender creditsIdentify source and eligibilityIdentify available written creditsWho funds each item, what earns it, and where does it appear?
Cash to close and paymentUse current disclosuresUse current disclosuresDo both scenarios use the same taxes, insurance, escrow, and assumptions?
Five-year costUse the Loan Estimate fieldUse the corresponding fieldAre the transaction inputs still matched?
Approval, appraisal, and closing pathList open conditionsList open conditionsWhat remains uncertain, and what happens to the written builder term if the lender changes?

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, and USDA classify contributions and lender incentives under their own current rules. There is no single program-wide cap or universal treatment appropriate for this article. Ask each licensed lender to apply the current guide to the actual occupancy, loan-to-value ratio, loan type, contribution source, eligible costs, appraised value, and sales contract (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, VA, and USDA, accessed August 28, 2026).

This matched-offer work is different from deciding how to allocate a seller credit. For that question, read Closing Costs or a Rate Buydown: Which Should I Choose? For the economics of using a builder-affiliated lender while keeping your own agent, read Can I Use a Builder Lender and My Own Agent?

No offer is “better” until the written inputs, complete costs, conditioned benefit, and execution risks are matched.

What Does a Loan Estimate Prove?

A Loan Estimate is a standardized three-page disclosure for a covered mortgage transaction. CFPB says it explains important loan details and estimated closing costs. It is not an approval or denial, and it is not proof that the lender will fund (CFPB, accessed August 28, 2026).

For covered transactions, the creditor generally must deliver or mail it within three business days after receiving the six application items. Regulation Z also generally prevents the creditor from charging fees, other than a bona fide and reasonable credit-report fee, until the consumer receives the Loan Estimate and indicates intent to proceed. The lender can request and evaluate additional information later (Regulation Z § 1026.19, accessed August 28, 2026).

Intent to proceed is another separate event. It tells that lender to continue processing. It does not guarantee underwriting, lock terms, appraisal, property approval, or closing. It also does not, by itself, decide whether the builder’s contract permits a lender change or what happens to a promotion or deposit.

Call 214.429.4907 for a practical next-step conversation

Regulation Z requires advertised credit terms to be actually available, and its official interpretations can apply mortgage-advertising rules to homebuilders advertising consumer credit. Preserve the exact advertisement and date, then compare it with the actual written lender offer. Do not assume the ad applies to every buyer, property, loan program, or closing date (Regulation Z § 1026.24, accessed August 28, 2026).

Secure-information warning: Send sensitive financial information only through the licensed lender’s approved secure process. Do not send bank, credit, tax, identity, or income records to a builder salesperson merely because the builder asked for qualification.

A Loan Estimate supports comparison. It does not replace underwriting, the signed contract, or professional review of a disputed lender condition.

Want a clean, matched lender comparison?

Bring both written offers, the builder contract, every incentive document, and the affiliation disclosure. Kaitlin can help organize the file without pretending a headline tells the whole story.

Call 214.429.4907Book a Buyer Strategy CallStart the Buyer Process

What Does the Texas Contract Change?

Texas does not have one universal builder contract. The current TREC New Home Contract for incomplete construction is Form 23-20, effective July 1, 2026. It references a Third Party Financing Addendum when that addendum is selected and says changes to the agreement must be in writing. The current TREC Third Party Financing Addendum is Form 40-11, effective January 3, 2025. Those public forms do not create a statewide preferred-lender rule (TREC, accessed August 28, 2026).

First confirm whether the executed transaction actually uses those forms. A builder may use an owner- or attorney-prepared contract when permitted. A custom contract can contain its own qualification, application, financing, lender-choice, incentive, deposit, default, deadline, change, and remedy terms. Do not borrow a TREC clause for a file governed by different language.

Read the signed contract and every incorporated document together. Highlight each reference to lender, financing, approval, qualification, preapproval, preferred, affiliate, incentive, credit, contribution, deposit, deadline, default, amendment, assignment, termination, and notice. Then connect each term to the event table and decoder.

If the outside lender cannot meet a builder deadline, that is a transaction fact, not proof of a universal legal right. If a lender change appears to affect a promotion or deposit, do not guess at the consequence. Ask the builder for its business position in writing, the licensed lenders for their financing facts, and a Texas attorney for contract interpretation before acting.

Schedule time to discuss your goals

The contract question is ready for a decision only when the buyer knows the exact clause, required event, deadline, stated consequence, and available professional review.

Which Documents Should I Request Before Choosing?

Collect the documents before debating the outcome. A complete request list keeps the buyer from discovering a material condition after a deposit, selection deadline, lender fee, appraisal order, or contract amendment.

  • The complete executed builder purchase contract, every addendum, exhibit, amendment, community document, and incorporated schedule.
  • The exact written lender-choice, qualification, application, approval, financing, and deadline provisions.
  • Every incentive, promotion, options, upgrade, closing-cost, buydown, or pricing document, including eligibility and expiration terms.
  • The Affiliated Business Arrangement disclosure, if one applies, showing the legal entities, relationship, possible financial benefit, estimated charges, and shopping language.
  • The builder’s written explanation of which lender event is requested and what changes if the buyer chooses another lender.
  • Loan Estimates from the preferred and outside lenders using the matched-offer protocol.
  • Written descriptions of lock, extension, appraisal, underwriting, approval, lender-change, and closing conditions from each lender.
  • The current loan-program or investor treatment of each proposed contribution or affiliated-lender benefit, applied by the licensed lender to the actual file.
  • Title and settlement confirmation of how the contract terms, credits, fees, and lender choice should appear in the closing file.
  • All sales emails, advertisements, portal messages, worksheets, texts, and call notes with sender and date preserved.

Do not accept a recreated summary when the original document exists. Save each version. If the promotion changes, preserve the earlier version and record when the new one arrived. If the builder or lender answers by phone, send a neutral written recap and ask the appropriate entity to correct any misunderstanding.

Keep personal financial documents separate from the builder file. The builder can receive documents it is entitled to receive under the actual transaction process, but sensitive mortgage information should move through the licensed lender’s secure channel.

The request list is complete when every material statement can be traced to its original document, sender, date, and accountable owner.

What Are My Decision Paths?

After the decoder and matched-offer table are complete, the buyer can discuss several paths with the appropriate professionals. None is automatic, and this article does not require a builder, lender, title company, or seller to accept a proposed path.

Possible pathWhat must be verified firstWhat to preserve
Apply or prequalify as requested while continuing to shopThe exact requested event, information channel, credit inquiry, deadline, and contract effectWritten request, disclosures, application dates, and every Loan Estimate
Use the preferred lenderThe complete matched offer, open approval and appraisal conditions, builder benefit terms, affiliation disclosures, and settlement treatmentContract, addenda, Loan Estimate, lock terms, approval conditions, and closing file
Use an outside lenderThe builder’s written position on deadlines, contract terms, promotion eligibility, deposits, and required noticesOutside offer, builder response, timeline proof, and any signed change
Ask for written clarification or revised termsThe unresolved or conflicting decoder rows and the business term the buyer wants clarifiedQuestion list, redlines, responses, and properly signed documents
Pause for legal or compliance reviewA disputed requirement, affiliation, referral, disclosure, waiver, default, deposit, cancellation, damages, or enforceability questionComplete original file for a Texas attorney or qualified compliance professional

Set the buyer’s decision boundaries before urgency takes over. Decide what financing uncertainty is acceptable, which property and contract protections cannot be waived without counsel, what documentation is necessary, and which deadlines must be met. These are personal risk limits, not predictions about approval, appraisal, funding, or builder action.

Kaitlin’s role is to keep the real-estate file organized and protective. She can coordinate document requests, builder questions, lender comparisons, and timing. She does not provide loan approval, quote lending terms, decide RESPA compliance, interpret disputed contract rights, or promise a deposit or closing result.

Discuss your timeline at 214.429.4907

The right path is the one supported by the buyer’s actual signed documents, matched offers, complete conditions, and advice from the professionals who own each question.

When Should I Stop and Get Professional Help?

Pause before signing, paying, waiving, changing lenders, or sending a notice when any of these conditions appears:

  • The builder’s oral explanation conflicts with the contract, promotion, affiliation disclosure, or lender documents.
  • No one can identify the exact legal entity called “preferred” or “affiliated.”
  • The claimed benefit has no written eligibility terms or complete matched-cost comparison.
  • A lender change may affect a deposit, default claim, cancellation right, damages position, deadline, or remedy.
  • The buyer is asked to sign an amendment, waiver, release, new financing term, or Affiliated Business Arrangement disclosure without time to review it.
  • The lender offer does not match the same property, buyer, occupancy, down payment, program, term, quote window, lock period, or builder term.
  • An advertisement does not match the actual Loan Estimate or qualification conditions.
  • Sensitive financial information is requested outside a licensed lender’s approved secure process.

Send deposit, default, cancellation, damages, waiver, enforceability, referral, required-use, and legal-effect questions to a Texas attorney or qualified compliance professional. Send rate, APR, fees, underwriting, lock, approval, program, appraisal, and funding questions to the licensed lender. Send settlement and title-file questions to the title company or settlement professional.

“Greatness is demonstrated, not declared.” In this decision, that means the written file should demonstrate what was required, what was optional, what changed, what each path costs under matched conditions, and who owns every unresolved answer.

Do not rely on a universal rule. A builder’s request, promotion, affiliation, contract, deposit terms, lender offers, loan program, appraisal, underwriting, disclosures, and settlement path must be reviewed together.

Stop when a material decoder row is unresolved, and restart only after the accountable professional supplies the missing answer.

Ready to decode the builder’s lender language?

Kaitlin Lovern and her team can help you build the document hierarchy, matched-offer comparison, and next-question list before you make a lender decision.

Call 214.429.4907Plan My Next StepExplore Buying With Kaitlin

Frequently Asked Questions

Is applying with the builder’s lender the same as using that lender?

Pick a convenient time to connect

No. A qualification conversation, prequalification, application, intent to proceed, approval, and funded closing are separate events. Ask the builder to identify the exact event it requests, the written deadline, and what the signed contract says happens next.

Can I shop other lenders for a Texas new-construction home?

CFPB consumer guidance says buyers do not have to use a homebuilder’s associated lender and may shop. That guidance does not decide a property-specific contract dispute or preserve a promotion automatically. Compare complete written offers and have disputed contract consequences reviewed before changing course.

Is a lender-conditioned builder incentive automatically legal?

No universal conclusion is supported. The affiliation, referral, disclosure, required-use facts, true-discount evidence, flow of value, contract, promotion, loan terms, program rules, and settlement file all matter. A qualified attorney or compliance professional should review a disputed arrangement.

Does “preferred lender” mean the builder owns the lender?

No. The label alone does not prove ownership, control, or another affiliated-business relationship. Request the applicable Affiliated Business Arrangement disclosure and identify every legal entity involved rather than inferring affiliation from branding.

Does signing an Affiliated Business Arrangement disclosure waive my rights?

There is no universal waiver created merely by acknowledging a disclosure. The document is meant to disclose the relationship, possible financial benefit, estimated charges, and shopping language. It does not by itself prove compliance or decide every contract right.

Call the North Dallas team: 214.429.4907

Does a Loan Estimate mean I am approved?

No. CFPB describes the Loan Estimate as a standardized disclosure of important loan details and estimated closing costs. It is not an approval or denial. Underwriting, appraisal, program conditions, property approval, and final funding remain separate.

Can I lose my deposit if I change lenders?

There is no universal deposit result. The executed builder contract, financing terms, deadlines, notices, amendments, facts, and applicable law control. Ask a Texas attorney to review the exact language before a lender change or notice.

How do I know whether the builder’s lender discount is real?

Use matched written offers for the same property, buyer, occupancy, down payment, loan amount, program, term, quote window, and comparable lock period. Compare complete Loan Estimate fields, the exact conditioned benefit, and all approval, appraisal, lock, and closing conditions. A headline value alone is not enough.

Primary Sources Reviewed

Research was current through August 28, 2026. This article provides general real-estate education, not legal, lending, compliance, appraisal, title, tax, accounting, insurance, or settlement advice. Contracts, promotions, programs, disclosures, underwriting, property facts, and professional requirements can change. Verify the actual transaction with the builder, licensed lenders, title or settlement team, Texas attorney, and other qualified professionals.

Ask a final question at 214.429.4907

Kaitlin Lovern reviewing information on a smartphone beside a sofa

About Kaitlin Lovern

Kaitlin Lovern has represented more than 400 North Dallas families. She leads the Kaitlin Lovern Real Estate Team at Real Brokerage LLC and helps new-construction buyers keep builder documents, lender comparisons, contract deadlines, and transaction decisions in one protective plan.

Texas Real Estate license #0634293 | Real Brokerage LLC

Read Kaitlin Lovern’s profile | Call 214.429.4907 | Schedule a buyer consultation | Review buyer services

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2. I’m a great baker and I love it. My grandma handed down her handmade cookbook of goodies and I’m carrying on the family tradition of candy making. She has an amazing caramel popcorn recipe that I make for my family and sell during the holiday times as presents.
3. I have two amazing kids and a husband that are the best part of my life. My kids are a sophomore and 8th grader and into dance, tennis and track. They keep us busy and bring us lots of fun times.
4. I hate gardening – mainly because of all the red ants here in Dallas! I love flowers, but had to get out in the garden and plant things. I want to have a beautiful botanical yard, but don’t want to put in the effort.
5. I’m addicted to tennis – in the free time I have you will probably find me on a tennis court in the neighborhood. I started playing 5 years ago and absolutely love the competition and the friends I have made.
6. I’m a beach person 100%, we love to visit all the places with white sand beaches, go snorkeling, paddle boarding, sand castle building and anything else you can do on the beach.
7. I’m a sports nut, we have a closet full of sports equipment just in case we decide to pick up a different sport on the weekend. I love tennis, but also water ski, snow ski, play pickleball (not well), and golf occasionally.
8. My favorite meal is a good steak, salad and a glass of red wine. I hate all shellfish foods.
9. I love NFL football – I’m a lifelong Cowboys fan, but also really like the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos
10. I hate country music, which is not a popular opinion living in Texas, so most of the time I have no idea who sings the latest country song.

Emily Drummond

Emily Drummond specializes in residential real estate across Frisco, Prosper, McKinney, Plano, and the surrounding North Dallas suburbs. Licensed since 2012, Emily combines more than a decade of experience with the strength of a top-producing team, recognized in the top 1 percent of agents nationwide. Together, they have guided over 400 families and achieved more than 250 million dollars in closed sales. 

Averaging 50 successful transactions annually, Emily has earned recognition as one of D Magazine’s Best Real Estate Agents for eight consecutive years and is trusted by her clients, with 128 verified five-star Google reviews.

Emily believes that luxury is not about price—it’s about the quality of the client experience. She delivers that same high standard to every client, whether they are relocating, buying their first home, moving up, downsizing, or investing. Backed by the Kaitlin Lovern Real Estate Team’s collaborative resources and guided by values of professionalism, creativity, partnership, and teamwork, Emily ensures her clients receive the highest level of service, clear communication, and a smooth path to their goals.

A Colorado native who has called North Dallas home for more than a decade, Emily loves connecting with people and building lasting relationships. She is proudest of her daughter, who recently completed her master’s degree, and she shares her home with three cats who keep life lively. Outside of real estate, Emily enjoys music, travel, sewing, and cheering on her favorite teams, the Denver Broncos and Alabama Crimson Tide. Whether at work or at play, her warmth and authenticity make her easy to connect with, and those qualities carry through in every client relationship she builds.

Theresa Husner

Born and raised in Southern California. I worked in Real Estate (Appraisal) from 1994 to 2009, then transitioned to Banking from 2009 to 2019. I moved to Frisco, Texas on September 9, 2019. That wasn’t intentional. Lol. My love for Real Estate called me back in 2020, but this time as a Realtor, helping families directly instead of being behind a desk. I’m so happy I did because it’s my passion and part of my superpower. Read on, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

I am happily married to the love of my life, and I am a girl mom! I have three daughters: Brittaney, 29, a hairstylist; Brianna, 27, a Sports and Fitness Coach; and Paula, 22, a college student working towards her bachelor’s degree in psychology. I think we kept Sephora and Ulta in business in the 2000s because the amount of teenage makeup in our home could fill buckets. Lol. Oh, and let’s not forget the nail salons.

I am also a Mimi (we don’t say the G-word because I don’t think I will ever be ready for it). Her name is Victoria, and she’s 4. Her mom is Brittaney, and they live in California. However, thank goodness for FaceTime and Amazon. We chat almost every day, and I can spoil her from 1,400 miles away.

My favorite accessory is my high heels. I LOVE THEM!! My mom put me in pumps at the age of 5, and I’ve never looked back! My feet actually feel uncomfortable in flats or tennis shoes. No likey. I’m also 5’1-ish, so it changes my world to be 4 inches taller. 😁

Favorite food – Seafood!! All of it! I can eat it three times a day, seven days a week. If I were ever to be stranded on an island, I wouldn’t mind. Seafood, beach, sunsets, warm weather, and hopefully a razor. I would be in heaven.

I love to dance!! I was on Drill Team in High School. When I turned 18, I loved going to the dance clubs anytime I could. Fast forward to Covid. :( I never imagined a world without dance clubs. Lol. Now that I live in Texas, country line dancing is next on my list. My friend Kathy and I met and hung out with Kenny Chesney and Vince Vaughn after Kenny’s concert backstage at the Angels Stadium in California. A young man with a pass said he could take us back to meet him, but we had to turn our phones off, or else we couldn’t go backstage. I was ready to throw my phone in the trash!! My friend Kathy is the only proof I have that we hung out with Vince and Kenny.

My “superpower” is making friends and connecting with people. I love meeting people from ALL different walks of life. I love learning about them, their traditions, their background, their family, what they are passionate about. It makes for great conversations and forms great, long-lasting relationships. One of the many reasons why I love my career.


Favorite childhood movie, “The Goonies!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched the movie as a kid and as an adult with my kids. My husband took me to Astoria, Oregon, where they filmed the movie, and we visited all the buildings, including the house where the movie was shot. Pretty epic in my book.


I love ALL music genres. I looked it up, and there are 41 primary music genres with 331 subcategories. I don’t know about the subcategories, but when I hear music, I’m truly joyful. Strangely, even with Heavy Metal. Just watch the sound/volume, not too loud please. Lol. I love to dance, so if music is playing in any language, as long as there is a beat, I will dance to it.

Theresa Husner

Born and raised in Southern California. I worked in Real Estate (Appraisal) from 1994 to 2009, then transitioned to Banking from 2009 to 2019. I moved to Frisco, Texas on September 9, 2019. That wasn’t intentional. Lol. My love for Real Estate called me back in 2020, but this time as a Realtor, helping families directly instead of being behind a desk. I’m so happy I did because it’s my passion and part of my superpower. Read on, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

I am happily married to the love of my life, and I am a girl mom! I have three daughters: Brittaney, 29, a hairstylist; Brianna, 27, a Sports and Fitness Coach; and Paula, 22, a college student working towards her bachelor’s degree in psychology. I think we kept Sephora and Ulta in business in the 2000s because the amount of teenage makeup in our home could fill buckets. Lol. Oh, and let’s not forget the nail salons.

I am also a Mimi (we don’t say the G-word because I don’t think I will ever be ready for it). Her name is Victoria, and she’s 4. Her mom is Brittaney, and they live in California. However, thank goodness for FaceTime and Amazon. We chat almost every day, and I can spoil her from 1,400 miles away.

My favorite accessory is my high heels. I LOVE THEM!! My mom put me in pumps at the age of 5, and I’ve never looked back! My feet actually feel uncomfortable in flats or tennis shoes. No likey. I’m also 5’1-ish, so it changes my world to be 4 inches taller. 😁

Favorite food – Seafood!! All of it! I can eat it three times a day, seven days a week. If I were ever to be stranded on an island, I wouldn’t mind. Seafood, beach, sunsets, warm weather, and hopefully a razor. I would be in heaven.

I love to dance!! I was on Drill Team in High School. When I turned 18, I loved going to the dance clubs anytime I could. Fast forward to Covid. :( I never imagined a world without dance clubs. Lol. Now that I live in Texas, country line dancing is next on my list. My friend Kathy and I met and hung out with Kenny Chesney and Vince Vaughn after Kenny’s concert backstage at the Angels Stadium in California. A young man with a pass said he could take us back to meet him, but we had to turn our phones off, or else we couldn’t go backstage. I was ready to throw my phone in the trash!! My friend Kathy is the only proof I have that we hung out with Vince and Kenny.

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