NMLS#: 2653540 (Company) · 513013 (Adam Styer)
A Round Rock mortgage lender is a licensed professional — or, in Adam Styer's case, an independent broker — who originates, qualifies, and closes home loans for buyers purchasing property within Round Rock's Williamson County limits, drawing on programs from conventional and FHA to VA, jumbo, investor, and new construction financing.
Teravista vs. Forest Creek: Which Neighborhood Shapes Your Loan?
Round Rock's two flagship communities sit two miles apart on opposite sides of I-35, but they represent fundamentally different mortgage conversations.
Teravista (zip 78626, University Blvd corridor) is still an active new-construction market. Builders like Lennar, D.R. Horton, and Meritage Homes are selling there today. That means buyers are signing builder contracts with upgrade packages, lot premiums, and closing-cost incentives explicitly tied to using the builder's preferred lender. Builder-preferred lenders aren't always bad — but their rates are set at the corporate level and rarely reflect what the wholesale market is doing that week. When Adam Styer competed against a builder's preferred lender on a Teravista contract in early 2025, the builder's quoted rate was 0.375% above what he sourced from wholesale — on a $465,000 purchase, that gap was roughly $90/month over 30 years.
Forest Creek (zip 78665, near Dell Diamond) is a fully built-out golf community where buyers are negotiating with individual sellers, not builder sales offices. There are no builder rate incentives and no builder-controlled closing timelines. The typical Forest Creek buyer is purchasing a 2000s-era resale home in the $340,000–$480,000 range, usually with 10–20% down, and benefits most from fast pre-approval, strong rate shopping across conventional and VA programs, and a lender who moves quickly once the file is under contract.
The takeaway: if you're shopping in Teravista, bring an independent broker who can run a side-by-side comparison against the builder's offer before you sign the contract addendum. If you're shopping in Forest Creek, your priority is speed, reliability, and rate — all things an independent broker also delivers.
For a deeper look at how conventional loans work for either community, see how conventional mortgage loans work for Round Rock buyers.
What Does Round Rock's 2026 Market Snapshot Tell Buyers?
Round Rock's 2026 market is still working through price correction off the 2022 peak — the median is down year-over-year while inventory has rebuilt, which hands buyers real negotiating leverage. Here's the current picture:
Median Sale Price
$370,000
Down ~6.3% year-over-year (Redfin, trailing 3 months through May 2026) and roughly 23% off the 2022 peak near $479,000. Most resale homes: $330,000–$510,000. New construction in Teravista: $490,000–$590,000+.
Days on Market (Avg.)
44 days
Up from the 7–14 day frenzy of 2021–2022, but down from 55+ days in mid-2024. Well-priced homes under $420,000 are still moving in 2–3 weeks. Overpriced listings sit 60–90 days.
Active Listings
~490 homes
Inventory is up year-over-year, giving buyers more leverage than in 2021–2023. Seller concessions (closing cost credits, rate buydowns) are realistic at most price points. Ask Adam what's negotiable before you make an offer.
Combined Property Tax Rate
~1.68% of assessed value
Round Rock ISD: ~$0.9308/$100 • City of Round Rock: ~$0.3778/$100 • Williamson County: ~$0.3681/$100. On a $370,000 home: ~$6,204/yr (~$517/mo escrow). Lower than most Travis County addresses — a meaningful qualification advantage.
30-Year Fixed Rate (2026)
Mid-6s for well-qualified borrowers (760+ FICO, 20% down, conventional) in 2026, with FHA and VA rates typically running 0.25–0.50% below conventional. Your rate depends on credit, loan size, and program — not a posted number. Rate buydowns remain popular in new construction; ask Adam to model a 2-1 buydown vs. a permanent rate reduction before you decide.
Sources: median sale price per Redfin (trailing 3 months through May 2026); days-on-market and active-listing context per Austin Board of Realtors, spring 2026. Tax rates per Williamson Central Appraisal District 2025–2026 certified rates. Mortgage rate reflects wholesale mid-market context; your rate depends on credit profile, loan size, and program.
Run your Round Rock payment estimate at current rates with our mortgage calculator.
Six Round Rock Neighborhoods: Price Ranges, Loan Profiles, and HOA Reality
Round Rock is not a monolithic market. Here's what buyers actually encounter neighborhood by neighborhood:
1. Teravista (78626) — New Construction & Golf Community
Price range: Resale $375,000–$520,000; new construction $490,000–$590,000+.
Loan profile: Conventional 5–10% down is most common; builder buyers occasionally use FHA for the higher DTI flexibility. One-time close construction loans are available for buyers selecting lots and custom finishes.
HOA: ~$150/month, covers amenity access, pool, trail maintenance. Confirm HOA docs during option period — some sub-phases have additional fees.
MUD district: Most Teravista sections have no active MUD tax; the area is largely annexed into Round Rock. Verify the specific tax account at WCAD before closing.
Flood zone: Generally FEMA Zone X (minimal risk). Verify individual lots near the golf course drainage corridors.
2. Forest Creek (78665) — Established Golf & Resale Market
Price range: $340,000–$490,000 for 2000s-era resale homes.
Loan profile: Conventional 10–20% down is the norm; VA loans are common given the military commuter population. Move-up buyers often carry equity from a prior home.
HOA: ~$100–$150/month, covers landscaping and amenity access at the Forest Creek Golf Club. No MUD overlay in established sections.
Flood zone: Most of Forest Creek is Zone X, but parcels near Brushy Creek's eastern tributary run Zone AE. Pull the FEMA FIRM panel for any home within 500 feet of the creek bed — flood insurance on a Zone AE parcel adds $1,200–$2,500/year to escrow.
Schools: Round Rock High School zone (RRISD).
3. Stone Canyon (78681) — Quiet, Established, Westside Round Rock
Price range: $400,000–$560,000, with upper-end homes occasionally crossing the $832,750 jumbo threshold.
Loan profile: Conventional 10–20% down; jumbo financing for the few homes above $833K. Stone Canyon tends to attract second-move-up buyers who are downsizing from larger homes.
HOA: ~$60–$80/month, relatively low for the neighborhood quality. No active MUD overlay. Zone X flood designation throughout most of the community.
Schools: Cedar Ridge High School zone (RRISD).
4. Sendero Springs (78681 / 78664) — Newer Community with Trail System
Price range: $375,000–$505,000.
Loan profile: Conventional 5–10% down; FHA is popular with first-time buyers given the accessible price point. For an income-qualified Sendero Springs buyer, I run the second-lien down-payment-assistance options against a straight low-down conventional and show you the side-by-side — the assistance program isn't automatically the cheaper path once you factor the second-lien rate.
HOA: ~$80/month. Amenity package includes trails and a community park. No active MUD. Zone X throughout.
Schools: Stony Point High School zone (RRISD).
5. Vista Oaks / Brushy Creek Area (78664 / 78681) — Affordable Entry Point
Price range: $285,000–$410,000 — the most accessible price band in Round Rock proper.
Loan profile: FHA and VA are heavily used here; first-time buyers frequently combine FHA with a TSAHC down-payment-assistance second lien. This is the price band where 3.5%-down FHA does the most work in Round Rock proper.
HOA: $40–$60/month where applicable; some streets have no HOA. Confirm HOA existence — and whether there are deferred assessments — before option period ends.
MUD: Some sections on the western edge carry a nominal MUD overlay tax; check WCAD. Zone AE flood parcels exist near Brushy Creek's main channel — standard title search will surface this, but don't wait until closing to investigate.
Schools: Mixed between McNeil and Stony Point HS zones; confirm the specific school address before committing to the purchase if school zone is a priority.
6. Paloma Lake (78665) — Lake Community on Round Rock's East Side
Price range: Roughly $375,000–$575,000 across a wide stock — plans run from ~1,500 sqft starters to ~4,000 sqft homes.
What it is: A 78665 master-planned community on Round Rock's eastern edge that broke ground in 2007 and finished build-out around 2020, so it now trades almost entirely as resale — no builder-preferred-lender tie-ins to compare against. It went up under a deep builder roster (Ashton Woods, Pulte, Coventry, Taylor Morrison, David Weekley, Drees, Highland, and Standard Pacific), and the centerpiece is a private stocked lake for catch-and-release fishing, plus a clubhouse, pool with splash features, playgrounds, and greenbelt trails (Paloma Lake neighborhood guide).
Loan profile: Conventional 5–10% down is the workhorse here; the upper end of the plan mix can approach the $832,750 conforming line, so a handful of larger resales price into jumbo territory.
Schools (RRISD): The real draw — Linda Herrington Elementary (10/10 GreatSchools) sits inside the community at 2850 Paloma Lake Blvd (PK–5, ~842 students, a Spanish Language & Culture Institute), feeding Hopewell Middle, then Stony Point High. A 10-rated elementary inside the neighborhood is a resale-value anchor — worth weighing against a comparable home in a lower-rated zone.
HOA / flood: Mandatory HOA covers lake and amenity access; most parcels are Zone X, but verify any lot backing the lake or drainage corridors on the FEMA FIRM panel before you write the offer.
For a deeper look at how 5–10%-down conventional financing works for a Paloma Lake or Forest Creek resale, see how conventional mortgage loans work for Round Rock buyers.
Property Tax & Closing Costs: What Will a Round Rock Purchase Actually Cost?
Round Rock's combined property tax rate works in buyers' favor relative to Travis County — and Texas's title-cost rules matter more than most buyers expect.
Round Rock's combined 2025–2026 property tax rate is approximately 1.68% of assessed value (Round Rock ISD $0.9308 + City of Round Rock $0.3778 + Williamson County $0.3681, per $100). Compare that to Austin/Travis County where combined rates commonly run 1.8–2.1% — and you'll see why a buyer approved for a $400,000 purchase in Austin might be able to qualify for a $413,000–$418,000 home in Round Rock at the same income and payment.
Here's the math on a $370,000 median-priced Round Rock home:
- Annual tax bill at 1.68%: ~$6,204
- Monthly escrow (taxes only): ~$517
- Monthly escrow at Travis County 2.0% rate on same home: ~$617
- Monthly difference: ~$100/month — enough to qualify for roughly $17,000–$21,000 more in loan at current rates
What Do Closing Costs Actually Look Like on a $370,000 Round Rock Purchase?
Texas closing costs surprise buyers in both directions. The biggest one: in Williamson County the seller customarily pays for the owner's title policy — so a cost many buyers brace for never hits their side of the table. Here's a buyer-side breakdown on a $370,000 home with 10% down ($333,000 loan):
- Owner's title policy — seller-paid (custom): $2,110.60 at the TDI-promulgated 2026 rate for a $370,000 policy (rates dropped ~6.2% on March 1, 2026). In Williamson County this is customarily the seller's expense — not the buyer's.
- Lender's (mortgagee) title policy — buyer-paid: Issued simultaneously with the owner's policy for a small promulgated premium under the same TDI rate rules, rather than a second full premium.
- Recording fees — buyer-paid: The Williamson County Clerk records at $25 for the first page plus $4 per additional page, so recording the deed and the deed of trust together typically runs ~$50–$120.
- Settlement / escrow fee — often split: The title company's closing fee commonly runs ~$350–$500 and is frequently split between buyer and seller in Central Texas.
- Property tax proration — usually a credit to you: Texas taxes are billed in arrears, so on a mid-year close the seller credits you for their share of the ~$6,204 annual bill. A July 1 closing means roughly a $3,100 seller credit toward your taxes at the table.
Add lender fees, the appraisal, and prepaid escrows on top of the items above, and most Round Rock buyers should budget total closing costs and prepaids in the range of 2–4% of the purchase price — but the exact figure depends on your program and who pays what in the contract.
One important caveat: if your Round Rock home carries an active MUD district overlay (see neighborhood notes above), add that rate to the calculation before running your numbers. The tax advantage disappears quickly with an active MUD.
Adam Styer builds the actual tax rate — including any MUD overlay — into every pre-approval calculation so you never get surprised at closing. Start your Round Rock pre-approval here.
How Does New Construction Financing Work in Round Rock?
Round Rock has active new construction from national builders — Lennar, D.R. Horton, Meritage Homes, KB Home, and Taylor Morrison all have or recently had active phases in or adjacent to the city. Here's what Round Rock new construction buyers need to know:
The Builder's Preferred Lender Incentive
Builders offer closing cost credits ($5,000–$15,000) or rate buydowns when you use their affiliated lender. Before you sign the contract addendum committing you to that lender, ask Adam to run a side-by-side comparison. In most cases the credit offsets a higher rate — but sometimes it doesn't, and you have 3–5 business days to make that call before the incentive deadline.
Builder Timelines and Lock Strategy
New construction contracts typically close 4–9 months after signing. Standard rate locks expire in 60–90 days. A float-down lock or extended lock (240+ day option) protects you if rates move against you during construction — Adam structures these on every new construction transaction.
One-Time Close Construction Loans
If you're building a custom home in Round Rock (on a purchased lot, not a production builder's spec), a one-time close construction-to-permanent loan finances both the build and the permanent mortgage in a single closing, eliminating the cost and hassle of two separate loans. See one-time close construction loans for Round Rock new builds for details on qualifying and draw schedules.
What Counts as "New Construction" for Appraisal Purposes
Lenders underwrite new construction differently from resales. The appraisal uses comparable new-build sales rather than resale comps — which can create appraisal gaps if the builder's pricing has outpaced the comp pool. Adam flags this risk early and advises on contract contingency language when appropriate.
Who Wins When Builder Lenders Compete Against Independent Brokers?
The honest answer: it depends on the deal. But more often than not, an independent broker wins on rate — and always wins on impartiality.
Builder-preferred lenders are captive to the builder's pricing structure. Their incentives (the closing cost credits) are funded by a margin built into the rate. When wholesale rates tighten, the builder's lender rarely passes the savings through. An independent broker reprices weekly against 40+ wholesale channels and can often deliver both a lower rate and equivalent credits — especially if the builder is motivated to close the quarter.
J.M. closed on a four-bedroom Teravista resale at $465,000 in early 2025 using a conventional loan with 5% down. The builder's preferred lender had quoted a rate 0.375% above what Adam Styer sourced from wholesale. Over a 30-year term, that gap adds up to more than $25,000 in interest — and J.M.'s monthly payment was $89 lower from day one.
That story isn't unique. It plays out repeatedly in Teravista, in Forest Creek, and in every active new-build community across Round Rock and Williamson County. The only way to know whether the builder's deal is competitive is to have a real comparison in hand before the builder's incentive deadline.
Adam Styer, NMLS #513013, independent mortgage broker. No affiliation with any builder. No incentive to steer you to any particular lender. Just the best rate and program your file qualifies for, from 40+ wholesale sources.
Who Are Round Rock's Major Employers — and How Does That Shape Your File?
Round Rock anchors a deep Williamson County job base, and that matters for how your income gets documented. Per the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, the city is home to three global headquarters and a broad mix of tech, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality employers:
- Dell Technologies — global headquarters in Round Rock and the area's largest employer.
- Emerson Automation Solutions — major engineering and process-automation operation.
- Toppan Photomasks, Inc. — global headquarters; semiconductor photomask manufacturing.
- Healthcare: Ascension Seton Williamson, Baylor Scott & White, and St. David's Round Rock Medical Center.
- Hospitality & retail: Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Round Rock Premium Outlets, plus Amazon and UPS logistics.
The Chamber also notes Round Rock sits within a roughly 30-minute drive of Apple, Google, Tesla, and Meta operations in the surrounding region — which is why so many buyers here carry income that isn't a simple two-line W-2.
That's the part that actually affects your loan. A salaried Dell engineer qualifies cleanly. But a Dell employee with a big RSU and bonus component, a 1099 contractor working a campus, or a self-employed owner serving these employers needs income structured correctly — averaging variable income, documenting RSU vesting history, or using bank-statement qualifying when tax returns understate real cash flow. That's the kind of file I structure every week. See self-employed and complicated-income mortgages for how that works.
Round Rock Buyer Questions, Answered
Teravista is still an active new-construction community where builder contracts include upgrade allowances, lot premiums, and closing-cost incentives tied to using the builder's preferred lender. Forest Creek is a fully built-out resale market where buyers negotiate directly with homeowners — no builder rate incentives, but also no builder-controlled timeline. Teravista buyers benefit most from a broker who can match or beat the builder's buydown without the tie-in. Forest Creek buyers typically close faster because the resale process is more straightforward. The loan structures differ because the transaction types differ.
The combined 2025–2026 property tax rate in Round Rock is approximately $1.676 per $100 of assessed value, or about 1.68%. Breakdown:
- Round Rock ISD: ~$0.9308 per $100
- City of Round Rock: ~$0.3778 per $100
- Williamson County: ~$0.3681 per $100
On the $370,000 median-priced home, that is roughly $6,204 per year — or about $517/month in escrow. This rate is generally lower than comparable Travis County addresses, which helps Round Rock borrowers qualify for slightly larger loan amounts at the same income.
A Municipal Utility District (MUD) is a special taxing district that financed a subdivision's water, sewer, and drainage infrastructure before annexation. Homes in a MUD pay an additional tax rate on top of the standard county, city, and school rates. Most established Round Rock neighborhoods do not carry active MUD taxes, but some newer developments on Round Rock's western edge may. To check:
- Look up the property at the Williamson Central Appraisal District (wcad.org)
- Review all taxing entities listed on the tax account
- Any entity name containing "MUD," "WCID," or "SUD" is a special district with its own rate
MUD taxes can add $0.10–$0.50/$100 to your effective rate and meaningfully increase your escrow payment — check before making an offer, not at closing.
Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) is approximately 65 miles northwest of Round Rock via I-35 and US-190 — about a one-hour commute. Round Rock is a popular off-base community for Fort Cavazos personnel because of its school ratings, employer diversity (Dell, Apple, Amazon), and lower property tax rate versus Travis County. VA loans work extremely well here: zero down payment, no PMI, and rates typically 0.25–0.5% below comparable conventional loans. Adam Styer, NMLS #513013, is experienced with VA purchase loans in Williamson County and can complete a VA pre-approval within one to two business days.
⭐ 5.0 Stars from 136+ Reviews on Google & Zillow
"Adam ran a side-by-side comparison against the Teravista builder lender the same afternoon we asked. He beat their rate and we still got our closing cost credit. Closed in 22 days." — K.R., Round Rock TX
Ready to Finance Your Round Rock Home?
Same-day pre-approval on most files. No obligation. Adam Styer, NMLS #513013, shops 40+ wholesale lenders — whether you're buying a Teravista new build, a Forest Creek resale, or anything in between.