Buyer representation

Buy a home in Houston, with your downside covered first.

Cantonese-speaking buyer representation across Cypress, Katy, Sugar Land, and the TMC corridor. Banking-trained framework: I diagnose the risk before I show you the upside.

What I do on a buy-side deal

From first call to close, one playbook.

Diagnosis call.30 minutes. Timeline, budget, visa or residency status, U.S. credit, family stage. We figure out what kind of buyer you actually are before we look at a single listing.
Financing path.Conventional, ITIN, foreign-national, all-cash. I introduce you to lenders who have closed for HK-background clients, so you don't burn a month on a lender who can't actually deliver.
Area shortlist.School zone, commute, flood map, price band, Cantonese density. We narrow the field before we tour, so showings are signal, not noise.
Contract & negotiation.Texas one-to-four-family residential contract, option period, addenda, repairs. Every clause walked through in Cantonese before you sign.
Inspections + due diligence.Third-party inspector, foundation engineer if needed, sewer scope on older builds. I read the report with you and tell you which items are negotiation levers and which are walk-away signals.
Close & handover.Lender, title, survey, HOA, insurance, homestead exemption filing. Close day, key handover, utility transfer checklist. After-close: 1-year follow-up.

What HK-background buyers should know first

Three things that catch most first-time U.S. buyers.

Property tax is the real monthly cost

Texas has no state income tax, but property tax runs 2.0–3.0% of assessed value annually. On a $500k home that’s $10k–15k/year, $830–1,250/month on top of the mortgage. Budget this before you fall in love with a listing.

Flood risk doesn’t end at the FEMA line

Hurricane Harvey (2017) flooded thousands of homes outside the official 100-year zone. Every property gets checked against FEMA + Harris County flood education map + the home’s specific claim history. Three datasets, every time.

The MUD-district tax bill is real

Many newer Cypress and Katy suburbs sit inside Municipal Utility Districts. The MUD bond debt sits inside your tax bill for years. Always verified before offer. Not all MUDs are bad — some fund excellent infrastructure — but you should know which one you’re buying into.

Buyer questions

What clients ask before our first call.

Yes. Three common paths: conventional with U.S. credit history, ITIN for non-residents without an SSN, and foreign-national loans for buyers based outside the U.S. Down payments typically run 20–35%, with rate premiums and reserve requirements that vary by program. Right path depends on your visa status, U.S. credit history, and whether U.S. tax returns exist.

Next step

Start with a 30-minute diagnosis call.

Cantonese or English. No commitment. We figure out whether you’re actually ready to buy, what the right financing path is, and what to do in the next 30 days.

Book on cal.com/alfieip Call 713-352-0186