Central Texas Mortgage Broker
Mortgage Broker in Buda, TX
Buda sits about 15 miles south of Austin, and its walkable historic Main Street, anchored by Buda Mill & Grain Co., a converted 1914 grain mill now full of shops and restaurants, makes the downtown feel bigger than the town's size. Most of the new construction here is in Sunfield and Persimmon. Buda sits in the same price band as Kyle and draws a similar buyer, first-time purchasers and families moving up out of a starter home. Because I am a broker rather than a bank, your file goes out to a panel of more than 40 wholesale lenders, and on a $300,000 purchase the spread between the best and worst of those quotes is real money over the life of the loan.
Most purchases here land between $250,000 and $500,000
Jennifer Ferrara
Loan Officer · NMLS #2781982
Fourteen years navigating real estate deals taught me to listen before I recommend anything. Tell me what you're working with, and let's talk it through.
What fits here
Loan options that come up most in Buda
Price points and buyer profiles differ market to market, so the financing conversation does too. These are the ones Buda raises most often.
First-Time Homebuyer
A first-time homebuyer loan is any loan structured around the fact that you have not done this before, usually a lower down payment, flexible credit guidelines, and help covering closing costs. Most first-time buyers in Central Texas use FHA or conventional financing, often paired with seller concessions or a seller-paid rate buydown.
Read moreConventional
A conventional loan is a mortgage that meets Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines instead of running through a government insurance program. It can start as low as 3 percent down on a primary home, and once you reach 20 percent equity the mortgage insurance falls off for good. It generally works best for buyers with solid credit who want the lowest cost over the life of the loan.
Read moreFHA
An FHA loan is insured by the Federal Housing Administration, which gives lenders more room on credit score and debt load than a standard loan. It starts at 3.5 percent down, and it usually wins when your credit is still being rebuilt or your debt-to-income ratio is tight.
Read moreBridge
A bridge loan lets you tap the equity in your current home to fund the down payment on the next one, so you can make an offer that is not contingent on selling first. You carry it short term, then pay it off when your existing home closes.
Read more
This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval, income and property verification. Rates, terms, and programs are subject to change without notice. Nook Lending is powered by MPA Home Loans. Jennifer Ferrara, Loan Officer, NMLS #2781982. MPA Home Loans NMLS #2778343. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Reviewed by Jennifer Ferrara, NMLS #2781982 · Last updated 2026-08-11
Down payment help
Down payment assistance in Buda
Buda does not currently run its own city-funded down payment assistance program. Real options still apply here: TSAHC's statewide programs, and BCL of Texas's NeighborhoodLIFT, which covers Hays County and offers up to $7,500 in forgivable assistance. I check what you qualify for on the full Texas Grants page.
See every Texas grant and down payment program I work withQuestions
Buying in Buda
Property taxes in Buda run about 1.9121% combined: Hays County at 0.3999%, the City of Buda at 0.3576%, one of the lower city rates among the six cities I work in, and Hays CISD at 1.1546%, the same school district that covers Kyle. The ISD rate still drives most of the bill, and I run your specific number before you write an offer.
A few of my local favorites
Looking in Buda?
Tell me the price range and what you are working with. I will show you the real monthly number and the cash you would need, before you fill out anything.