Dara Maldonado Headshot

Let's find your dream home together!

As your REALTOR®, I believe communication is the key factor to success.
I am eager to help guide my clients through one of the major life choices they will make.

Serving Austin Texas Since 2018

Commercial & Residential REALTOR®

I go above and beyond to get you where you want to be.

Communication is Key!

Dara Maldonado | REALTOR® NCREA CREIPS

About Me

I am so excited to be here in Austin. Born and raised in Laredo, Texas, my passion for real estate is what brought me to Austin, Texas and I've loved my time here! My real estate career began as an administrator for several brokers in south Texas.

Once I earned my real estate license, I transferred into a REALTOR® and studied commercial real estate for 4 years. I since earned my National commercial real estate certification.

HAVE A QUESTION?

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is the first step of the home buying process. Getting a pre-approval letter from a lender get the ball rolling in the right direction. You need to know how much you can borrow. Knowing how much home you can afford narrows down online home searching to suitable properties. The loan estimate from your lender will also show how much money is required for the down payment and closing costs.

From start (searching online) to finish (closing escrow), buying a home takes about 10 to 12 weeks. Once a home is selected an the offer is accepted, the average time to complete the escrow period on a home is 30 to 45 days (under normal market conditions). Though, well-prepared home buyers who pay cash have been known to purchase properties faster than that.

Most loan programs require a FICO score of 620 or better. Borrowers with higher credit scores represent less risk to the lender, often resulting in a lower the down payment requirement and better interest rate. Conversely, home shoppers with lower credit scores may need to bring more money to the table (or accept a higher interest rate) to offset the lender’s risk.

The national average for down payments is 11%. But that figure includes first time and repeat buyers. Let’s take a closer look. While the broad down payment average is 11%, first time homebuyers usually only put down 3 to 5% on a home. That’s because several first-time home buyer programs don’t require big down payments. A longtime favorite, the FHA loan, requires 3.5% down. What’s more, some programs allow down payment contributions from family members in the form of a gift.

That’s up to you! For sure, home shopping today is easier today than ever before. The ability to search for homes online and see pictures, even before setting a foot outside the comfort of your living room, has completely changed the home buying game. Convenience is at an all-time high. But, nothing beats visiting a home to see how it looks and ‘feels’ in person.

My Reviews

It was awesome working with Dara. She made it possible for us to move from San Francisco to Austin.
Sayuj M.
Dara was wonderful to work with. She was very attentive and paid close
attention to detail when it came to finding a location that suited my small business. Dara was easy to talk to and very quick in her communication. I highly recommend her!
Diana P.
Dara was excellent in guiding me through the process. She had fast responses to all of my questions.
Allen G.
Affiliations
Dara Maldonado is member of Austin Board of Realtors

The information being provided is for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Based on information from the Austin Board of REALTORS®. Neither the Board nor ACTRIS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. All data is provided “AS IS” and with all faults. Data maintained by the Board or ACTRIS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.

Dara Maldonado is member of Multiple Listing Service
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