Episode 01
El Paso Real Estate · 8 min read
In this video, we're going to talk about the five things that you've got to do before you move to El Paso, Texas. In this channel we talk all about what it's like to eat, sleep, live, work, and play in El Paso, Texas.
And if that's the information that you're looking for, please consider subscribing to the channel below. Click the notification bell so that you know when new videos are released, and I've had tons of people reaching out asking about what is involved in moving to El Paso.
I love talking to all those people, and this video is going to be all about that. And the number one thing to do is to contact me, to reach out to me. You can do that on the phone, via text, email, whatever you've got to do. Just make sure that you reach out to me, because in that first step, what we're going to try
to do is we're going to make sure first that we open up a line of communication, and that'll be a great way for us to get to know each other. You can decide if you want to work with me or not. That's an important thing when you choose a real estate agent.
Do you like this person enough? Do you know them? Do you like them? Do they seem trustworthy?
And a phone call or a Zoom call, whatever you want to do, is a great way to kind of figure that out. You guys, everybody can kind of feel each other out and make sure that we're going to be a good fit for each other.
And if so, what we'll do in that first phone call is we'll talk about what it is you're looking for in your dream home. What side of town do you think you might like? How many bedrooms?
How much square feet? Do you have kids and a lot of pets? Do you need a huge backyard? What are the things that's important to you?
What are the amenities? A big, nice, open concept, a kitchen island with a sink in it, a jetted tub in your master bath. It'll be a great way for us to really talk about what are the criteria that we're going
to use to find you that perfect home. And that takes us to step number two, which is we're going to create a custom search specifically for you and your family. So what this involves is essentially we use what's called the FlexMLS.
It's what real estate agents in El Paso use. It's what we put our listings on. It's how we see if a home is for sale, how long it's been on the market, who the agent is.
And that system allows us to invite clients to actually look at the listings. And the fantastic thing about that is that unlike Zillow or other real estate sites, this information is perfectly up to date and accurate, which is really important because you don't want to find a home that you fall in love with.
And then all of a sudden you call me and you're like, oh, I'm sorry, this home is actually already sold, you know? So this custom search that we're going to create for you is going to use this system, which is going to be the most accurate, the most up to date.
And what it's going to do, it's going to feed you listings weekly, daily, whatever you want. We can set it up however you're comfortable. And it's going to show you exactly what the new listings are that have come on the market. You can favorite the ones you like.
I can see what you favorited. I can be like, oh, they like this. They don't like that. And it can really help us narrow down that search so that we do find your dream home.
And that's the most important thing, right? Number three. Now, this one is important. You've got to set up lending unless you're paying cash.
Most people are going to get a mortgage on their home and they're going to pay a monthly mortgage, right? So what you want to do if you're serious about moving to El Paso is you want to get with a lender, whether that's your local bank that you're already doing business with, whether
it's an online lender like Rocket Mortgage, or there's a ton of them out there. You want to make sure that you get with a lender and you get your finances in order so that you walk away and you come to me in step four, which we're going to talk about here in a second, with what's called a pre-approval.
So a pre-qualification letter is what you're going to get when you go to that lender and you say, hey, I want to buy a house in El Paso. I'm thinking I want to spend X amount of money. Is this realistic?
They're going to check your finances, do a little bit of background on you, and they're going to tentatively say you're qualified for X amount, but you want to take it to the next step. And the next step is getting what's called a pre-approval.
So a pre-approval means that the bank or the lender has said we are essentially virtually guaranteeing you that we will give you a loan up to this amount. It's going to take more time and it's going to require a lot more documents. They're going to want to see pay stubs.
They're going to want to pull your history, your credit score. They're going to want to look at your credit history. They're going to want to look at how much debt you have. They're going to do a pretty thorough examination of your background because they want to know
that you're good for the loan before they say, yes, we'll give you the loan. Now this is going to take a while. This isn't like something that's just going to happen in a day. This is going to take a while.
You're going to have to submit all these different forms, tax documents, the whole shebang. But when you have that pre-approval letter, you are going to be set for step number four, which is setting up some tour dates. Now this is a fun part.
I'm not going to lie. This is a great part. You are either going to come to El Paso in person or we can do this virtually. If you come to El Paso in person, you're going to let me know.
You're going to say, hey, John, I'm going to be there in two weeks. We're going to set you up with a hotel or an Airbnb, whatever you like. And I'm going to schedule some home showings of all the homes that you like. And when you get here, we are going to get together immediately.
We're going to go around and we're going to look at all of those homes. We're going to check out the neighborhoods, the locations. We're going to check out all the different areas of town. I'm going to show you all over so that you really get a good feel for El Paso and you
can make sure this is it. This is the place I want to move because moving is a huge decision, right? You want to make sure you're moving to the right place. But the fun part, like I said, is going to be looking at all these different homes.
If you want to do this virtually, if you can't make it down or because of, say, the pandemic, you're like, ah, I don't really feel like traveling right now. We can do the tours virtually. I'll get you up on my phone.
I'll turn on the video. We'll go around the houses. I'll show you exactly everything. You can say, hey, what's in that corner?
I'll point in that corner. Show me the backyard. I'll show you the backyard. Show me the neighborhood.
Hey, drive around the block a couple of times and just, you know, point the phone out the window. Let me see what it's like. Sorry for that.
And virtually is totally cool, too. But hopefully during that time, you might find that dream home. And if you do and you have that preapproval, then you're ready to actually submit an offer to the seller of your dream home.
This is fantastic. This is when your real estate agent has to really step up their game and work on your behalf to get your offer accepted to do whatever negotiations are necessary. And if all goes well, you could have an accepted contract on your dream home in El Paso.
And that is going to be a fantastic moment, which is going to lead into step number five. Step number five is taking you through that buying process. So now from the time that you get an accepted offer, that is what we call an executed contract. From that moment when the seller says, OK, I accept your offer from that moment till
the moment that we close to the moment closing is when all of the funds transfer title transfers, you get the keys to your dream home handed to you from the moment that we have a contract that's accepted to the closing is typically about 30 to 60 days. So step five is me guiding you through that buying process, that 30 to 60 days, making
sure that everything that needs to get done gets done. Home inspections, surveys, appraisals, negotiations for repairs. There's a lot of different pieces that have to fall in place so that the closing goes smoothly.
That's again what you need a real estate agent for. So I'm going to take care of all of that. Chances are, if you're relocating here, you're still living in wherever it is you're currently living and I'm taking care of that here in El Paso.
And I'm just communicating with you, making sure that you know what's going on. If I need to get this document or that document, I make sure I get that from you. Most documents are digitally signed now, so it's not like we're going to have to mess with a lot of snail mail.
So those are the five steps if you're serious about relocating to El Paso. Let's just make sure that we are totally clear. Number one, you're going to contact me. Reach out to me.
I love talking to people. I'll probably set up a call on the phone or a Zoom call if you want to do face to face. That's great too. But send me that initial text, send me that initial email, send me a comment below in
YouTube. I try to respond to every comment that comes up in YouTube. So however you want to do it, reach out to me. I'll set up a phone call and we'll talk about everything that you're looking for in a home.
Number two, I'll set you up with that custom search. That's just emails that are going to come to you. You're going to be able to see what's available, how much things cost, what things look like, where the different locations are, favorite things.
I can send you specific listings I think you might like. Number three, now you're getting serious because now you're talking to a lender and your goal is to get that pre-approval letter that says, yes, this person is virtually guaranteed a loan for this amount of money.
That is super important. Number five, in-person or virtual tour dates. That's when we actually come, look at the home, pick the one that's going to work the best for you hopefully.
And then number five, me guiding you through that buying process so that it's a smooth ride, a smooth transition to that glory moment when we hand those new keys to your new home into your hand. That's the moment that we're all can't wait for.
So if you found value in this, please consider hitting the like button. If you have questions, drop them in the comments. If you have ideas for videos, drop those in the comments. I'd love to make videos that are tailored specifically to what you guys are looking
for. And in the very first video that I ever made, which was about six, seven weeks ago, my top five reasons why we moved to El Paso, we had a new poodle puppy, Marcel, running around. A lot of people have been asking me, hey, what's the poodle puppy update?
He happens to be right here. I'm going to show you how much he's grown. Oops. He's getting so much bigger that it's getting harder to pick him up.
He was just hanging out here by the pool chewing on a stick, but he's definitely getting bigger and looking pretty cute, I'd say. So thanks so much. We'll see you next time.
We get messages every week from people asking what the process looks like for moving to El Paso. Military families PCSing to Fort Bliss, remote workers leaving expensive cities, retirees looking for sunshine and affordability. The specifics vary, but the steps are the same. Here's the updated version for 2026, including some important changes to how the home buying process works now.
This is step one for a reason. You're going to be working closely with this person for weeks or months, and if you're relocating from out of state, they're your eyes and ears on the ground in a city you might have never visited.
Reach out by phone, text, or email. Have a real conversation. Talk about what you're looking for: what side of town, how many bedrooms, square footage, whether you have kids or pets, if you need a big backyard, what the kitchen should look like. All of it.
But just as important, figure out if this is someone you trust. Moving to a new city is stressful. You want an agent who's going to be straight with you about what a neighborhood is really like, not just someone who tells you what you want to hear. Ask how many relocating buyers they've worked with. Ask about the neighborhoods they'd personally avoid. See how they answer.
Here's what's new in 2026: Before your agent can show you a single home, you'll need to sign a written buyer representation agreement. This is now required by both the NAR settlement (effective August 2024) and Texas Senate Bill 1968 (effective January 2026). The agreement spells out what services your agent provides and how they get paid.
This is actually a good change. Under the old rules, if you didn't sign anything, the agent showing you homes was technically representing the seller, not you. Now, your agent has a clear legal obligation to act in your interest. The agreement also addresses commission: how much you'll pay, and how it interacts with any compensation the seller might offer. Have this conversation upfront so there are no surprises.
Once your agent knows what you're looking for, they should set you up with a custom search through the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). This is the system real estate agents in El Paso use to list and search properties.
Why this matters: Zillow, Realtor.com, and the other big sites pull data from the MLS, but there's often a delay. A home that shows as "active" on Zillow might already be under contract. Nothing is more frustrating than falling in love with a house online and finding out it sold three days ago.
A direct MLS search is current and accurate. Your agent can set it to send you new listings daily or weekly, filtered to your exact criteria. You can favorite the ones you like, and your agent can see what caught your eye. That feedback loop helps both of you zero in faster.
Here's some context on what you'll see. The median home price in El Paso is around $250,000, with the market projected to appreciate 2.5 to 4.5% over the next year. Homes are selling in an average of 48 days and going for about 98.6% of asking price. That means the market is active but not frantic. You have time to be deliberate, but you can't sit on a good listing for two weeks and expect it to still be there.
Unless you're paying cash, you need a mortgage, and that means talking to a lender. This is the step most people put off because it feels like a hassle. It is. Do it anyway.
There's a difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval, and it matters. A pre-qualification is a quick estimate based on what you tell the lender about your income and debts. It's tentative. A pre-approval means the lender has actually pulled your credit, reviewed your pay stubs, looked at your tax documents, and verified your financial picture. They're giving you a real number they'll back with an actual loan.
The process takes time. You'll submit pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns, bank statements, and probably a few more documents you'll need to dig up. It's not a one-day turnaround. Start this early.
Why does it matter? Two reasons. First, when you find the house you want, you need to move fast. Having a pre-approval letter ready means you can submit an offer the same day. In a market where homes sell in 48 days on average, the buyer who's pre-approved beats the buyer who's still waiting on their lender. Second, knowing your real budget keeps you from wasting time looking at homes you can't afford or undershooting and missing out on what's within reach.
If you're military: VA loans let you buy with zero down payment and no PMI (private mortgage insurance). Make sure your lender is experienced with VA loans, because the process has some specific requirements around appraisals and eligibility that not every lender handles well. With an E-5 BAH of about $1,773/month in El Paso, a VA loan on a $250,000 home is very doable.
This is the part people enjoy. You've narrowed down your favorites, you've got your financing lined up, and now it's time to actually see the homes.
If you can make it to El Paso in person, that's ideal. Let your agent know when you're coming and they'll line up showings. When you're here, don't just look at the houses. Drive the neighborhoods. Check the commute to work at the time you'd actually be driving it. See where the grocery stores are. Get a feel for whether this area actually works for your life, not just on paper.
El Paso is a spread-out city. A home in the Far East might be a 35-minute drive to the West Side in normal traffic. If you're working at Fort Bliss, the Northeast puts you 10 - 20 minutes from the gates, but the West Side could be a 20 - 30 minute commute. These things matter more than they look on a map.
If you can't come down, virtual tours work. Your agent gets you on a video call, walks through each property with the phone, and you direct the camera. "Show me the backyard. What does the neighborhood look like from the front porch? Drive around the block." We do this constantly for military families and out-of-state buyers. It's not the same as being there, but it's close.
Plan to see multiple homes even if you think you've already found "the one" online. Photos lie. A house that looked perfect in pictures might have a weird layout or back up to a busy road. And sometimes the house you almost skipped turns out to be the winner.
You've found the house. You've got your pre-approval. Now it's time to write an offer.
This is where your agent earns their commission. The offer isn't just a price. It includes contingencies, timelines, earnest money, and terms that can make or break the deal. A good agent knows what the seller is likely to accept and structures the offer to get it done without leaving money on the table.
Don't forget about concessions. In today's market, 44% of home sales include some form of seller concession, whether that's closing cost credits, repair allowances, or rate buydowns. If you're stretching to cover your down payment and closing costs, asking the seller to contribute toward closing or buy down your interest rate can save you thousands. Your agent should know when and how to ask for these without killing the deal.
Once your offer gets accepted, you've got roughly 30 to 60 days to closing. During that window, a lot happens: home inspection, survey, appraisal, title work, repair negotiations, and final loan approval. If you're relocating, you're probably still at your current location while all of this plays out. Your agent handles the day-to-day in El Paso, and most documents get signed digitally.
The inspection is the part that matters most. That's when you find out what the home looks like under the surface. Your agent will help you negotiate repairs or credits based on what the inspector finds. This isn't the time to be polite. If the roof is old or the HVAC is on its last leg, you need to know and you need to negotiate accordingly.
Then comes closing day, and you get the keys.
The whole process, from first phone call to keys in hand, usually takes 60 to 90 days depending on your timeline and the market. If you're PCSing to Fort Bliss with a specific report date, we can work backward from that to make sure everything lines up.
The biggest mistake people make is waiting too long to start. Analysts expect mortgage rates to stabilize in 2026, which could increase relocation volume by 20 to 25%. That means more competition for the same inventory later in the year. If you're thinking about moving to El Paso sometime in the next six months, start the conversation now. The earlier we get the search set up and the lending in motion, the smoother everything goes when it's time to pull the trigger.
John David Peña is the owner of Peña El Paso Realty Group and has helped hundreds of families relocate to El Paso. Start the process at penaelpaso.com or reach out directly at john@penaelpaso.com.
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