Home/Dallas–Fort Worth/$825k
Family home budget

What a $825k family home budget means in Dallas–Fort Worth

32% on salary alone. Requires reserve ≥$100k, perfect house, perfect zone.

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Budget posture

Hard ceiling (only if perfect)

Target price

$825k

Total monthly

$6,605

Salary-only stress

32%

Neighborhoods in reach

The best short-list neighborhoods at this budget.

Pick 1

West Plano — Shepard / Brinker / Plano West Senior pipeline

The cleanest fit on schools-plus-house-plus-Aaron’s-commute. The only real trade is Stephanie’s airport drive. If she’s OK with 25 min, this is #1 by a clear margin.

Pick 2

Coppell — Coppell ISD core

Wins on Stephanie’s commute, ties on schools. The Coppell HS pressure question is the real decision — if you walk the campus and feel ‘this is fine,’ Coppell becomes 1A with West Plano.

Pick 3

Frisco — Phillips Creek Ranch / Wakeland HS feeder

The lifestyle winner if Aaron’s office is in Legacy West / Frisco proper. Comes with the longest airport commute. Best ‘house per dollar’ on the spec sheet.

Buying discipline

Budget rules from the sample report.

  • Maximum offer: $825k on a unicorn. $750k is the stated ceiling. $675k is the bullseye where the math is genuinely comfortable.
  • Texas property tax is the silent monthly tax — at 2.2% effective on $750k that’s $1,375/mo before insurance. Size to the all-in PITI, not the P&I.
  • Keep at least $100k liquid post-close. Bay Area stock proceeds are not infinite.
  • Plan for the 6.75–7.0% rate you lock today, not a hypothetical 2027 refi.
  • Hail country — budget $400/yr extra in roof/insurance carry vs CA, and ask for the roof age + 4-point inspection on every offer.
Make the math personal

A budget only matters when it is tied to your income, down payment, commute, and school priorities.

This page uses one sample family profile. A custom report recalculates affordability and neighborhood fit around your actual numbers.

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