Inventory inside Loop 820 sits at 1.8 months—well below the six-month balanced market—so bidding wars are the norm, not the exception. Median list prices have jumped 11 % year-over-year in 76104 (Fairmount) and 76110 (Ryan Place), while new construction in Walsh and Alliance corridor is pacing 40 % above 2022 starts. Cash offers still account for 28 % of all sales, but NMHL’s 17-day close times level the playing field for financed buyers.

Rent hikes averaging 9 % annually are pushing renters into ownership faster; first-time buyers now make up 52 % of all Fort Worth purchases, the highest share since 2011. If you’re targeting the $275-350 k sweet spot, expect 3-5 offers within 72 hours. Our local strategy: pair a TSAHC grant with an FHA 203(k) so you can bid on dated inventory, roll rehab costs into one loan, and still beat conventional buyers who shy away from carpet-and-cabinets projects.

• Fairmount (76104): Historic district, $330 k median, walkable to Magnolia Ave craft-cocktail strip. NMHL’s 203(k) loans fund porch restorations and HVAC upgrades without dipping into savings.
• Walsh (76131): Master-planned community in far west Fort Worth, $450-650 k new builds, top-rated Aledo ISD. USDA eligible on the western fringe—zero down still possible.
• Stop Six (76112): City’s largest empowerment zone, $165-220 k price band, up to $20 k forgivable second from the city. NMHL’s Fresh-Start program closes with 580 scores and $500 out-of-pocket.
• Westworth Village (76114): Minutes to downtown, $290 k median, low-traffic streets, and NAS JRB gate access. VA buyers dominate; NMHL waives lender fees for enlisted E-1 to E-6.

Texas has no state income tax, so counties rely heavily on property tax. Tarrant’s average rate is 2.26 %, but actual bills swing from 1.9 % in Walsh (TAD appraisal caps) to 2.6 % in parts of east Fort Worth with extra hospital and college districts. On a $300 k assessment that’s $6,780 annually, or $565 per month escrowed.

Cut that number down by filing for homestead exemption before April 30—it shaves $25 k off school-taxable value and caps year-over-year increases at 10 %. Veterans with 30-49 % disability save another $7,500 off assessed value; 100 % disabled vets pay zero school taxes, a savings of roughly $2,200 yearly on a mid-range home. NMHL builds these savings into your pre-approval so your debt-to-income ratio reflects real, post-exemption numbers.

Beyond statewide TSAHC grants, Fort Worth earmarks federal HOME funds for its Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP). Eligible buyers earning under 80 % Area Median Income ($64,900 for a family of four) can receive up to $25,000 in down-payment and closing-cost help, forgiven at 20 % per year. You need a 580 score, a $500 personal investment, and must live in the home five years.

The city also runs Fort Worth HOPE, a 0 % interest second mortgage up to $20,000 with no monthly payments—due only when you sell, refinance, or repay. Pair it with NMHL’s FHA 3.5 % down loan and you can purchase a $250 k home with roughly $1,750 total cash: $500 to HAP, $1,000 earnest money, and the rest from HOPE. Because NMHL is an approved City of Fort Worth lender, we execute the subsidy paperwork in-house so closing deadlines stay intact.

• Fresh-Start Portfolio: 580-639 FICO, 12-month bank statements, 90 % LTV up to $647 k, no PMI. Perfect for self-employed contractors riding the west-side building boom.
• Texas Vet & VA: Zero down to $4 million, rates beat conventional by 0.375-0.5 %, we waive underwriting and processing fees for all active-duty at NAS JRB.
• FHA 203(k) Streamline: Finance purchase plus up to $35 k in renovations—ideal for Fairmount and Southside bungalows needing HVAC or foundation tweaks.
• USDA Metroway: Still pockets of eligible rural in far north Fort Worth and west toward Aledo; zero down, cheaper MI than FHA, and sellers pay up to 6 % closing costs.
• Conventional 97 with 3 % Down: Pair with TSAHC for 3 % grant and effectively bring $0 to closing; no upfront MI like FHA, so monthly payment stays lower.

Fort Worth’s market rewards buyers who show up prepared. Upload your last two bank-statement cycles, photo ID, and a one-page application to NMHL’s encrypted portal tonight and you’ll have a same-day pre-approval letter stamped by an underwriter—not merely a computer pre-qual. Our local loan officers know the difference between TCU-area comps and Haslet new-build premiums, so your offer amount passes appraisal review the first time.

Whether you’re restoring a 1925 Craftsman in Fairmount, buying new in Walsh with zero-down USDA, or using VA one more time before retirement at NAS JRB, NMHL structures the right loan at the lowest total cost. Click to start your Fort Worth pre-approval or call 817-555-HOME to speak with a human—no chatbots, no 1-800 runaround—just a neighbor who wants to hand you keys to your own piece of Cowtown.