What does a Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP) do?

A Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP) provides mortgage consulting during the divorce settlement process — before the decree is signed. This includes analyzing whether a spouse can afford to keep the marital home on a single income, structuring equity buyouts, and planning post-divorce mortgage qualification based on new income sources like alimony or child support.

Can I get a mortgage in Texas using alimony or child support income?

Yes. In Texas, alimony and child support can be counted as qualifying income for a mortgage if it has been received for at least 6 months and is documented to continue for at least 3 years after the loan closes. Timing the mortgage application properly relative to when support income begins is critical and should be planned before the divorce settlement is finalized.

What is a Fixed Indexed Annuity?

A Fixed Indexed Annuity (FIA) is a retirement income product that provides growth potential linked to a market index without direct market risk, plus a guaranteed income stream that cannot be outlived. For women over 50 rebuilding their financial lives, it can serve as a personal pension — providing a guaranteed income floor regardless of market conditions or longevity.

What states does Elizabeth Rose serve?

Elizabeth Rose is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro area and holds a mortgage license in Texas, serving clients statewide for home purchases, refinances, and divorce mortgage consulting. Her retirement planning and insurance services are available across multiple states throughout the United States.

Is it different buying a home after 50 versus in your 30s?

Significantly. When buying a home at midlife, you are not building from zero — you are protecting what you have built while stepping into what comes next. Income timelines are different. Retirement is closer. The margin for error feels smaller. Elizabeth Rose helps midlife buyers think beyond qualification to ask: how does this decision support my income, my retirement, and the life I am actually building?

First Time Home Buyer in Texas — What Every Woman Needs to Know

Buying a home for the first time is one of the most significant financial decisions you will ever make. And if you are doing it on your own — after a divorce, after a loss, after years of putting everyone else first — it carries a weight that most people around you may not fully understand.

I do.

I am Elizabeth Rose, a licensed mortgage professional serving first time home buyers throughout DFW and all of Texas. My particular focus is women over 50 who are buying alone for the first time — not because they couldn’t before, but because now is finally their time.

What First Time Home Buyer Actually Means in Texas

In Texas, you may qualify as a first time home buyer even if you have owned a home before — as long as you have not owned a primary residence in the past three years.

This means many women coming out of a divorce — who gave up the marital home in the settlement or whose home was sold — may qualify for first time home buyer programs and benefits, including lower down payment requirements and down payment assistance.

This is one of the most important things I tell women who have been through a divorce: you may have more options than you think.

First Time Home Buyer Loan Options in Texas

As a first time home buyer in Texas, you have
several strong loan options available:

FHA Loans
The most common loan for first time buyers. Requires as little as 3.5% down with a qualifying credit score. More flexible on credit history than conventional loans. A strong option for women rebuilding their financial picture after a divorce or major life transition.

Conventional Loans
With as little as 3% down for qualifying first time buyers. Generally requires stronger credit than FHA but offers more flexibility on property types and no upfront mortgage insurance premium.

VA Loans
If you are a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran who died in service or from a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for a VA loan — which offers zero down payment, no private mortgage insurance, and competitive rates. This is one of the most powerful home buying benefits available and one of the most underutilized by women. Learn more.

Down Payment Assistance Programs
Texas offers several programs specifically designed to help first time home buyers with down payment and closing cost assistance. These programs can significantly reduce the cash needed to get into your first home. I am set up with Texas-based DPA programs and can walk you through what you may qualify for based on your specific situation.

What to Expect as a First Time Home Buyer in Texas

The home buying process in Texas typically moves quickly once you are under contract. Being prepared before you start looking makes all the difference.

Step One — The Clarity Call
Before you look at a single house, let’s talk through your full financial picture. Income, credit, savings, goals, timeline. This conversation takes 45 minutes and gives you complete clarity on what you can qualify for, what assistance may be available, and what the process will actually look like for you.

Step Two — Pre-Approval
Once we’ve talked through your picture, I prepare your pre-approval. This is what makes sellers take your offer seriously and what gives you confidence to shop within the right range.

Step Three — House Shopping
You work with your real estate agent to find the right home. I remain available throughout to answer questions about specific properties, HOA implications, and anything else that comes up.

Step Four — Contract to Close
Once you’re under contract, I manage the mortgage process from application through closing. In Texas, closings typically happen 30-45 days after contract.

Step Five — Your Keys
You close. You get your keys. You own a home that is entirely yours.

For the Woman Buying Alone for the First Time

You may have been married for twenty years and never had a mortgage in your own name. You may have been renting since your divorce and are finally ready to build equity. You may be approaching retirement and want to own your home outright before you stop working.

Whatever your story — buying your first home on your own is one of the most powerful financial moves available to a woman at this stage of life.

You deserve a mortgage professional who understands that weight. Who will take the time to understand your full picture. Who will not rush you, confuse you, or make you feel like a number.

That is the experience I create.

When you are ready, I am here.

Schedule a Clarity Call

Elizabeth Rose | Licensed Mortgage Professional
NMLS# 252686 | Licensed in Texas
Serving First Time Home Buyers Throughout DFW and Texas

Preface

As a single mom to two little girls, I recall what it feels like to be alone, broke, and lost. To not have a clue how to make ends meet, much less get ahead. To live paycheck to paycheck with a scarcity mindset, wondering how I would provide for my kids.

The father of my girls, my first husband, and I were high school .

Preface

As ta single mom of two little girls, I recall what it feels like to be alone, broke, and lost. To not have a clue how to make ends meet, much less get ahead. To live paycheck to paycheck with a scarcity mindset, wondering how I would provide for my kids.

First Time Home Buyer in Texas — What Every Woman Needs to Know | Elizabeth Rose

What First Time Home Buyer Actually Means in Texas

First Time Home Buyer Loan Options in Texas

What to Expect as a First Time Home Buyer in Texas

For the Woman Buying Alone for the First Time

Preface

The Book That Starts Where Most Financial Books Don't.