Buying a home
How to read a Loan Estimate
A section-by-section walkthrough of the three-page Loan Estimate form, so you can understand your loan terms, closing costs and cash to close, and compare lenders with confidence.
A community guide to Longview, Texas
Living Longview
Neighborhoods, weekend plans, schools and the practical side of making a home here. Written for neighbors, newcomers and anyone thinking about putting down roots in the Piney Woods.
In this guide
What's here
No. 01Moving to LongviewWhere Longview sits, getting around, weather, schools overview, cost-of-living basics and a first-month checklist.
No. 02Neighborhoods & nearby townsHow locals talk about the different sides of town, plus the small towns next door.
No. 03Things to doTrails, parks, museums, lakes and the events East Texas plans its calendar around.
No. 04Buying a home hereThe first-time buyer path, step by step, with an East Texas house-hunting checklist.
No. 05StoriesPractical explainers and local roundups, with new ones added often.
Longview at a glance
Small-city pace, regional-hub reach.
Longview is the kind of place where people still wave from the porch, and you can be on a lake trail by lunch.
- East Texas, Piney Woods. Longview is the county seat of Gregg County, along Interstate 20 between the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Shreveport, Louisiana.
- College town, too. LeTourneau University is in Longview, and Kilgore College is right next door in Kilgore.
- Easy to get in and out. East Texas Regional Airport serves the area, and Amtrak's Texas Eagle stops in Longview.
- Outdoors close by. City trails and parks in town, with state parks and lakes within a short drive.
Latest stories
All stories →
Buying a home
Questions to ask before you make an offer
Before you write an offer on a Longview home, ask these questions about the house, the neighborhood, the costs and the deal itself. A plain-English list for buyers.
Buying a home
First-time buyer checklist for East Texas
A practical, printable checklist for buying your first home in Longview and East Texas, from budgeting and pre-approval to inspections, closing and your homestead exemption.
Thinking of buying in Longview?
Talk it through with KT.
Kenneth Travis has been helping East Texas families with home loans since 2003. If you're wondering what buying here could look like for you, a no-pressure conversation is a good first step.