First Dibs

3 ways the new Opendoor Exclusives will make homebuying easier

Access homes 14 days before they hit the MLS.

Courtesy photo

Opendoor, the e-commerce platform for residential real estate that transformed the buying and selling process, has introduced another new feature.

Opendoor Exclusives is a first-of-its-kind, one-tap buying experience for homebuyers in Dallas-Fort Worth, as well as Austin and Houston. Designed to make homebuying an e-commerce-like experience, it streamlines the existing process to make homeownership more accessible.

Merav Bloch, general manager of Exclusive Listings, notes, “Between rising interest rates and low housing stock, it’s a challenging time to buy a home. In a competitive environment with high mortgage rates, aspiring homeowners feel frustrated, anxious, and defeated after losing out on bids. We built Opendoor Exclusives to make homebuying more certain and hassle-free.”

Here are three reasons why you should consider Opendoor Exclusives when buying your next home:

1. Pay with peace of mind
Opendoor homes are available on Opendoor Exclusives for 14 days before they are listed on a Multiple Listings Service. And while on Exclusives, they are offered at a price that’s less than what Opendoor will list the home for.

Even better: Should you buy an Opendoor Exclusive home that appraises for less than the purchase price, Opendoor will reduce the price by up to $50,000 to match the appraised value under its Appraisal Price Match Guarantee. This gives you more confidence that you aren’t overpaying for a home.

2. Avoid bidding wars and price negotiations
The Opendoor Exclusive price means no haggling, no lack of transparency, and no more love letters to sellers. With Opendoor Exclusives, you’re in control. Find a home you love, be the first to sign the contract, and you can make it yours.

Back out anytime and get a full refund on your earnest money deposit: There are no penalties if you change your mind at any point before closing. It’s that simple.

3. Experience a fully digital checkout
Opendoor has digitized the checkout flow, making a home purchase as simple as any other e-commerce transaction.

Opendoor Exclusives customer Colton Katzen reflects on his experience: "We found a beautiful home in a great neighborhood, but didn't want to get our hopes up. After going through this four other times only to ultimately miss out on homes that went well above asking, we were skeptical to move forward. We decided to try Opendoor Exclusives and it could not have been a smoother process from beginning to end. There was no stressing, no haggling, no worrying about an appraisal — it was actually an enjoyable experience! The only thing I would change is starting our search with Opendoor."

Find out more about Opendoor Exclusives here.

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renter livability report

Hot Dallas suburb ranked 12th best U.S. city for renters in 2026

City of Plano Facebook

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Renters looking for a place in Dallas-Fort Worth that balances affordability, convenience, and quality of life may want to start in Plano, which was just named the 12th best city to rent in America.

Plano's rental market offers better livability than nearly all other cities in Texas and in the country, according to WalletHub's newly released report, "Best & Worst Places to Rent in America." Experts analyzed 182 U.S. rental markets based on 21 relevant metrics, including the difference between rental rates and mortgage payments, rental affordability, the local cost of living, job availability, and more.

Surprisingly, Amarillo was deemed the No. 1 best Texas city for renters, and it ranked 10th nationally. Plano came in second place statewide and ranks 12th for a second year in a row, leaving Austin in third place and 13th overall (up from No. 31 last year).

Plano has the 7th best quality of life out of all 182 U.S. cities in the report, which should come as no surprise considering the strength of its local job market, its high-quality park system, and its happy-go-lucky residents. The city lagged behind in the "renter market and affordability" category, ranking 78th overall, but that clearly isn't deterring newcomers from moving there.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said the best cities for renters offer much more than inexpensive housing, a good job market, and recreational activities. For example, rent prices in the top cities cost tenants as little as 15 percent of their income.

"You’ll also have access to robust laws that protect renters, such as limiting deposits to only a month or two of rent," Lupo added.

Elsewhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Dallas proper ranked as the 71st best place to rent in the U.S. and appeared 13th in Texas. A separate RentCafe study found Dallas has become a hotspot for Gen Z renters searching for good job opportunities, recreation, and good schools.

Here's how other North Texas cities' renter markets stacked up in the national ranking:

No. 34 – Grand Prairie
No. 49 – Arlington
No. 50 – Fort Worth
No. 66 – Irving
No. 79 – Garland

Though renting can be more cost effective than owning a property, WalletHub said it's not always a better choice.

"The right road to take depends on a variety of factors, including an individual’s or family’s financial means and how well the local real-estate market is doing," the report said. "Like home prices, rental rates can vary significantly by region, state or city."

Rent prices in DFW have fallen nearly 10 percent since last year, so things might be starting to look up for North Texas renters.

Other Texas cities that ranked among the top 100 best places to rent in America include El Paso (No. 24), Laredo (No. 37), Brownsville (No. 48), Corpus Christi (No. 63), San Antonio (No. 64), and Lubbock (No. 81). Houston ranked as one of the worst cities to rent in America, landing as No. 144 nationally.

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