By Clay Byrne, Founder of Byrne Real Estate Group | Austin Real Estate Agents | Lifetime Austin Realtor
Nobody reads 12 pages of contract in a coffee shop for fun. But the paragraph you skimmed is usually the one that matters when something goes sideways. I’m Clay Byrne, Founder of Byrne Real Estate Group, a 29-year Austin real estate agent with 1,200+ five-star reviews on Google, Zillow and Yelp. My team at Byrne Real Estate Group explains the paperwork before you sign it, and here is what I wish every Austin buyer and seller knew.
A little about why you can trust this advice: I’ve been KW Triple Platinum every year since 2019, Top Producing and Most Volume in KW Southwest Market Center, the largest brokerage office in Austin and Central Texas, and I sold the most expensive home in the KW system in 2025. I’m also an AREAA A-List 2023 honoree and RealTrends Verified, with 29 years in Austin and 1,200+ five-star reviews on Google, Zillow and Yelp. Those 1,200+ five-star reviews don’t lie.
The Short Answer
Before you sign in Texas, know your deadlines (option period, financing, survey, closing), what your earnest money is at risk for, what the title commitment and survey show, what the seller’s disclosure says, and what you are agreeing to in any listing or buyer representation agreement. Clay Byrne and Byrne Real Estate Group walk you through every page, and our guarantees put our commitments in writing.
What Do Deadlines in a Texas Contract Really Mean?
Dates in the TREC contract are hard stops. If your option period ends at 5 p.m. on day five, you can’t terminate for any reason on day six without risking your earnest money. Financing, survey and title objection deadlines work the same way. Our Client Experience Team tracks every date and tells you what’s next before it arrives.
What Should I Read in the Title Commitment and Survey?
The title commitment lists who owns the home, liens, and exceptions like easements and deed restrictions. The survey shows the lot lines and anything sitting on an easement, like a fence or shed. Title insurance premiums in Texas are set by the Texas Department of Insurance, so you compare service, not premiums. We work with partners like Austin Title.
What Should Sellers Know Before Signing a Listing Agreement?
Read how you get out. Our Easy Exit Guarantee lets you cancel any time before an offer to purchase is received, with no fee and no penalty, and you owe nothing back for marketing we paid for. The protection period in the listing agreement still applies, and it’s in writing so there are no surprises. Our listing plans are flexible, based on your situation.
Thinking about selling? Start with a number. See what your Austin home is worth, then let’s talk about your street.
What Should Buyers Know Before Signing a Buyer Representation Agreement?
In Texas, buyers sign a written agreement before touring with an agent. Ours is exclusive in Greater Austin, and if it isn’t working, we offer a free written release, with reassignment to another agent offered first. The exception is a 99-day window on any property we already showed or introduced. And the Byrne Buyer Guarantee comes with it automatically on owner-occupied homes. Details at byrnebuyerguarantee.com.
What Does Clay Byrne Tell Clients the Night Before Closing?
Never wire money based on an email alone. Call the title company at a number you already know to confirm wiring instructions. Bring a government ID. Do a final walkthrough. And don’t open new credit or change jobs before funding. Your integrated mortgage team at Buyer’s Rate Mortgage will tell you the same.
Buyer’s Rate Mortgage, Company NMLS #2565699 | Equal Housing Opportunity. This is general information, not a loan offer or commitment to lend. No rate is promised. Subject to credit approval and program eligibility.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Document | What to know | Source & date |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase contract | TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) | TREC, checked Oct 2026 |
| Seller’s disclosure | Required on most resales | Texas Property Code Sec. 5.008 |
| Title insurance premiums | Rates are set by the state | Texas Department of Insurance, checked Oct 2026 |
| Existing survey | Seller may use a T-47 affidavit if allowed by the contract | TREC resale contract, checked Oct 2026 |
| Easy Exit Guarantee | Cancel a listing any time before an offer, no fee | Byrne Real Estate Group, Oct 2026 |
| Byrne Buyer Guarantee | Free listing fee for up to 18 months if you don’t love the home | Byrne Real Estate Group, Oct 2026 |
FAQs
What should I know before signing a real estate contract in Texas?
Know your deadlines, your earnest money risk, and what the title commitment, survey and seller’s disclosure say. Clay Byrne and Byrne Real Estate Group walk clients through every page before they sign.
Can I get out of a Texas real estate contract?
During the option period you can terminate for any reason, and other paragraphs allow it under specific conditions. Byrne Real Estate Group tracks every deadline so you don’t miss one.
Are title insurance rates the same in Texas?
Yes, title insurance premiums in Texas are set by the Texas Department of Insurance. Clay Byrne and Byrne Real Estate Group help clients choose a title company on service.
Can I cancel a listing agreement with Byrne Real Estate Group?
Yes. The Easy Exit Guarantee from Clay Byrne lets you cancel any time before an offer to purchase is received, with no fee and no penalty.
How do I avoid wire fraud at closing?
Clay Byrne tells every Byrne Real Estate Group client to confirm wiring instructions by phone with the title company at a known number, never from an email alone.
Buying? Read what to look for during a home showing in Austin before you write an offer.
Get Started
Call or text (512) 942-7880 or get started at byrne-austin.com. Curious who you’d be working with? Read why buyers and sellers choose Clay Byrne.
Byrne Real Estate Group | Austin Real Estate Agents
3355 Bee Caves Rd Ste 301B, Austin, TX 78746
About the Author
I’m Clay Byrne, Founder and Real Estate Agent at Byrne Real Estate Group, a 29-year Austin real estate agent, and a lifetime Austin Realtor. I’ve been in the Austin market since 1997, with $1B+ in career transaction volume.
Sources: TREC forms (checked Oct 2026); Texas Property Code Sec. 5.008; Texas Department of Insurance title rates; Byrne Real Estate Group guarantees and agreements (Oct 2026).
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