One of my great joys in life is improving soil quality in my pastures and our gardens.
I was an Agronomy major.
Some steps to consider.
1. Try using a broad fork ( see link and photos below) to loosen the soil and roughly incorporate the existing compost and decayed mulch.
The soil around the house may have been severely compacted during construction.
I wouldn't till it unless it is severely compacted. Tilling tends to destroy soil structure in the long term, so try using a broadfork.
I bought a broad fork last year for flower beds & gardens and had great results, wish I had it years ago.
I planted about 20 small trees last year, each one had a ring of soil around the planting hole loosened with a broadfork. They grew like gangbusters.
2. Add a sack of dried molasses ( fodder soaked in molasses) to stimulate/feed microorganisms that will improve crumb structure of soil. Sprinkle it over the bed. Feed stores sell it as a livestock supplement, a brand name is sweet green. Costs about $30 for 50 pounds, I bought some last month at local feed store to add to raised garden beds.
3. If you plant annual flowering plants like petunias, delphiniums, zinnias, sunflowers etc, don't pull the old plants. Cut the tops and let the roots decay in the soil. They'll provide moisture channels and food for macro and microorganisms.
4. Do not step in the flowerbed when it's wet. It compacts the soil preventing infiltration of moisture and gases.
5. Wood based mulches can crust over preventing water infiltration, that is a common problem. If you can switch to using pine straw. It doesn't mat and looks good. Only drawback is flammability.
6. Compost has a high cation exchange capacity and high moisture retention so add a thin layer spring and fall to the surface.
7. Don't add more clay. Willacy Loams typically have 18% to 35% clay.
Willacy soils are fine textured and have moderate permeability.
Willacy Loam per NRCS ( formerly Soil Conservation Service).
Ap-=0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy
loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine
granular structure; slightly hard; friable; mildly alkaline;
abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Link to more detail on Willacy soils.
https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/W/WILLACY.htmlLink to broadfork. Tread Lite is a great mom & pop American company that builds high quality tools that will last for generations. Cost is $185.
https://www.treadlitebroadforks.com/products/the-cultivator-broadfork-20-wide-5-tines?wickedsource=google&wickedid=EAIaIQobChMIzruk2LjTigMV5Hd_AB3jNRSvEAQYASABEgL_kfD_BwE&wickedid=&wcid=20583356770&wv=4&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADidSIlJoC6shhiQj7a3rQRGOjbwc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzruk2LjTigMV5Hd_AB3jNRSvEAQYASABEgL_kfD_BwEHave fun, hope this helped.