Topic
Home & Property
Buying or owning a home in Texas comes with its own playbook — appraisal districts, the homestead exemption you have to file for, MUD and PID districts that change the tax bill, windstorm and flood coverage on the coast, and foundations that move on Texas clay. Here is the help for the money side of your home.
Tools
Local context
Start with a place.
Each city page opens with what gives it character, then the appraisal-district, tax-office, and local checks that matter there.
Local Notes
Home & Property notes
Texas-wide · Local districts
MUDs and PIDs can change the monthly feel of a house
A newer subdivision can carry extra district taxes or assessments.
Texas-wide · Closing
The owner title policy is negotiable, but local custom is real
Texas contracts and local practice often decide who pays.
Texas-wide · Insurance
Coastal homes need a windstorm conversation
A normal homeowners quote may not answer the wind and hail question.
Texas-wide · Insurance
Flood risk is not only a coastal problem
Hill Country creeks and Houston bayous can both make flood insurance worth checking.
Texas-wide · Places
A Texas mailing address is not a city-limit answer
Postal identity, city services, zoning, police, STR rules, and taxes can split apart.
Anderson County · Floodplain permits
A Dry-Looking Anderson County Lot Can Still Sit in a Regulated Floodplain
A parcel near a creek or the Trinity bottom can look high and dry in June and still fall inside a mapped floodplain, and Anderson County's 2023 ordinance wants a floodplain permit before you add fill or set a structure.
Anderson County · Water / Wells
A Groundwater District Regulates Water Wells in Anderson County
Small exempt wells are registered. Other wells need permits, and a temporary district pause now blocks new applications for them.
Anderson County · Land records
Anderson County's Deed Books Run All the Way Back to 1846
When a rural title question doesn't show up cleanly in a modern search, the answer is often in Anderson County's handwritten deed books, and the index runs from Volume A in 1846 right up through the 1980s.
Anderson County · City permits
Inside Palestine, the City Handles Permits, Not the County
Cross the Palestine city limits and a different rulebook applies. The city's Development Services office on N. Queen Street handles zoning, permits, addressing, plats, and historic-district review.
Anderson County · Septic / OSSF
You Need a Permit Before Installing a Septic System
Most septic work needs county approval first. A few narrow exceptions apply only when every condition is met.
Andrews County · Mineral rights / Oil and gas
Mineral rights and surface ownership often split in Andrews County
In Andrews County, the person who owns the land surface may not own the minerals underneath. The mineral owner has broad legal rights to access your property.
Angelina County · Water
ANRA provides water and wastewater service to parts of Angelina County
ANRA, the Angelina and Neches River Authority, provides water and wastewater service in parts of Angelina County. If you live outside a city, check with ANRA to see if service reaches your land.
Angelina County · Water / Wells
Water Wells in Angelina County Run Through PGCD and State Drilling Rules
A rural water well here starts with Pineywoods GCD forms, then still has to meet Texas driller and spacing rules.
Angelina County · Water / Septic
You need a permit before installing a septic system in Angelina County
In Angelina County, you must get a permit before installing or repairing a septic system. ANRA handles that permitting process.
Aransas County · Coastal windstorm / Insurance
Coastal Windstorm Coverage: TWIA and the WPI-8 Certificate in Aransas County
Aransas County is in the Texas windstorm insurance zone. Most properties need a WPI-8 certificate to get wind and hail coverage through TWIA.
Aransas County · Flood / Hurricane
Hurricane Evacuation Planning for Aransas County
Aransas County sits directly in the Texas hurricane belt, and the City of Rockport uses a phased, time-based evacuation system. Voluntary evacuations begin 40 hours before a storm; mandatory orders start at 32 hours and ramp up from there.
Archer County · Mineral rights / Oil and gas
Archer County land and mineral rights can split
In Archer County, the person who owns the ranch or lot may not own the oil, gas, or minerals under it.
Armstrong County · Water
Check the aquifer and district before buying an Armstrong County well
Ogallala water levels and quality vary by location; a parcel needs its own well records and district check.
Atascosa County · Flood
Checking flood risk before you buy in Atascosa County
The Atascosa River and its tributaries can flood; FEMA flood maps show which properties are in high-risk zones and whether flood insurance is required.
Atascosa County · Oil and gas / Mineral rights
Eagle Ford Shale and mineral rights in Atascosa County
Atascosa County is in the Eagle Ford Shale. If you buy land here, you need to know who owns the minerals underneath it.
Atascosa County · Water / Wells
Water wells and the Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District
Rural properties in Atascosa County that rely on private wells are regulated by the Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District, which requires permits for most new wells.
Austin County · Property records
Austin County Deed Records Start with the County Clerk
The Bellville clerk handles deed copies and real-property filings, offers two online search windows, and provides a free property-fraud alert.
Austin County · Flood
The Brazos River forms the eastern edge of Austin County — and a real flood risk
The Brazos River runs along Austin County's eastern border. Property near the river and its tributaries can sit in a FEMA high-risk flood zone. That can mean required flood insurance and stricter building rules.
Bailey County · Water / Wells
Ogallala wells in Bailey County have permit and spacing rules
HPWD permits wells expected to produce at least 17.5 gallons per minute; smaller wells can be registered for spacing protection.
Bandera County · Water / Groundwater
Bandera County has its own groundwater district — wells need a permit
Most new water wells in Bandera County need a permit from the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District (BCRAGD) before you start drilling.
Bandera County · Flood
Flash flooding on the Medina River is a serious hazard in Bandera
The Medina River runs through the town of Bandera and can rise extremely fast during heavy rain. USGS and BCRAGD have built a flood early warning system that lets residents track river levels in real time.
Bastrop County · Water / Septic
A Rural Septic Job Starts With the County Permit
Bastrop County requires a permit before a septic system is installed or changed, regardless of acreage, with a narrow reporting path for listed emergency repairs.
Bastrop County · Water / Wells
A Rural Well Starts With the Lost Pines District
The Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District manages groundwater in Bastrop and Lee counties, where the Carrizo-Wilcox is the main aquifer.
Bastrop County · Flood
Building Near the Colorado River Means a Floodplain Permit
Bastrop County requires a permit before you build in or near the 100-year floodplain, with stricter rules for structures inside the flood zone.
Bastrop County · Wildfire
The 2011 Fire Still Shapes Lost Pines Home Sense
The 2011 Bastrop County Complex Fire burned for 55 days, destroyed more than 1,600 homes, and touched 96 percent of Bastrop State Park.
Baylor County · Water / Groundwater
Drilling a well in Baylor County? You are tapping the Seymour Aquifer
The Seymour Aquifer is the main freshwater source under Baylor County. The Rolling Plains Groundwater Conservation District oversees well permits and water use in the county.
Bee County · Flood maps
Bee County's Development Permit Starts with a Flood-Map Check
The county form asks for the FEMA map panel, map date, and flood zone before it reviews construction, fill, mobile homes, or waterway changes.
Bee County · Water / Wells
Bee Groundwater Conservation District: Well Rules for Rural Properties
Most of Bee County is inside the Bee Groundwater Conservation District, which controls how landowners drill new water wells.
Bee County · Mineral rights / Oil and gas
Mineral Rights and Surface Owners in Bee County
Bee County has a long oil and gas history. In Texas, whoever owns the mineral rights can enter your land to drill, even if you own the surface.
Bell County · Water
Bell County's drinking water comes from two Army Corps reservoirs
Much of Bell County's municipal water starts at Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir, with Bell County WCID No. 1 serving the big Killeen-Belton-Copperas Cove system.
Bell County · Flood
Flood zones and floodplain rules in Bell County
Bell County has significant floodplain areas along the Leon, Lampasas, and Little rivers, and the county engineer enforces federal FEMA rules for any construction near those areas.
Bell County · Water
Private water wells and the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District
If you drill a private well in Bell County, you work with the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District, which registers wells and protects the county's groundwater.
Bell County · Water / Septic
Septic system permits in Bell County
Bell County septic systems use the OSSF permit process through the Bell County Public Health District and TCEQ rules.
Bell County · Short-term rental
Short-term rental rules vary by city in Bell County
Killeen and Belton each require permits and inspections before you can rent your home short-term. Rules differ by city and can change.
Bell County · Weather hazard
Tornado risk in Bell County
Bell County has recorded tornadoes going back to the 1880s. Spring thunderstorm season along I-35 brings real tornado risk every year.
Bell County · Land use
Unincorporated Bell County has no zoning – what that means for buyers
Outside Bell County city limits, there is no zoning, so neighbors can run livestock operations, small businesses, or other uses without getting county approval.
Bexar County · Air quality
Bexar County remains a serious ozone nonattainment area
Bexar County is classified as serious nonattainment under the 2015 ozone standard, while AirNow gives the more useful day-to-day reading.
Bexar County · Flood / Insurance
Draft and effective flood maps answer different questions in Bexar County
The River Authority's draft data can show emerging risk, while FEMA's effective map controls federal flood-zone and mortgage-insurance decisions.
Bexar County · Land use / Development
No zoning does not mean no rules outside Bexar cities
Bexar County does not divide its unincorporated land into zoning districts, but permits, plats, floodplain rules, septic rules, and private restrictions can still shape a project.
Bexar County · Severe weather
Read the storm alerts and the insurance page before hail season
Bexar County thunderstorms can bring hail, wind, tornadoes, and flash flooding, but home and auto coverage depends on the policy you actually bought.
Bexar County · City limits / ETJ
San Antonio's ETJ is outside the city, with limited city powers
San Antonio's extraterritorial jurisdiction reaches as far as five miles beyond city limits, but it is still unincorporated land and ordinary city zoning does not simply carry across the line.
Bexar County · Water conservation
SAWS drought stages can restrict when and how much you water outdoors
SAWS ties outdoor watering schedules to the Edwards Aquifer's 10-day average, so the allowed day and hours can change as drought deepens.
Bexar County · Emergency preparedness
Set up Bexar County alerts before the weather turns
Bexar County offers general emergency alerts, a regional preparedness app, and separate crossing alerts for roads you choose to monitor.
Bexar County · Building permits
Some unincorporated Bexar projects still need a county building permit
Commercial, public-access, prebuilt, and four-or-more-unit projects can need county review even where Bexar County has no general zoning.
Bexar County · Septic / OSSF
Start with Bexar County before installing, repairing, or renewing septic
Bexar County runs the local OSSF program for new systems, repairs, renewals, and existing-system registration, while state law preserves a few narrow exceptions.
Bexar County · Environmental / TCEQ
TCEQ's Bexar County Superfund map is a starting point, not a verdict
TCEQ maps current and former state and federal Superfund sites in Bexar County, with a separate record explaining each site's status.
Bexar County · Water supply
The Edwards Aquifer helps explain how San Antonio lives with water
The limestone Edwards Aquifer supplies San Antonio-area water, feeds major springs, and ties everyday conservation rules to a well called J-17.
Bexar County · Wildfire
Wildfire risk is real in Bexar County's wildland-urban interface
Some Bexar County homes sit close to brush or grassland, so wildfire planning belongs on the home checklist.
Blanco County · Water / Groundwater
Drilling a Water Well Requires a Permit in Most Cases
All wells in Blanco County must be registered with the Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District, and any well capable of producing more than 25,000 gallons per day needs a separate operating permit.
Blanco County · Flood
Flash Floods on the Blanco River Can Rise with Little Warning
The Blanco River and its tributaries can rise extremely fast during heavy rain, making flooding one of the most serious natural hazards for anyone buying or living in low-lying areas of Blanco County.
Borden County · Water / Groundwater
Borden County Has No Groundwater Conservation District — Well Rules Are Minimal
Borden County does not have a local groundwater conservation district, which means there are no local permits required to drill a water well, but the county sits in a drought-prone area where groundwater levels in the Ogallala Aquifer have been declining for decades.
Borden County · Oil & gas / Mineral rights
Oil and Gas Activity in Borden County Means Mineral Rights Matter
Borden County has produced oil since 1949 and falls within Railroad Commission District 8A, so buyers of rural land should check whether mineral rights are included in a sale or have already been severed.
Bosque County · Flood / Roads
Low-water crossings and flash floods are a real danger in Bosque County
The Bosque River and its tributaries can rise fast during heavy rain, turning low-water crossings into deadly hazards and making flood zone status an important factor when buying rural property.
Bosque County · Water / Wells
New water wells in Bosque County require a permit from a groundwater district
Bosque County is part of the Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, which requires permits for new wells drawing from the Trinity Aquifer.
Bowie County · Septic / Water
Homes outside city limits in Bowie County likely need a septic permit
If your home has no public sewer, Texas law says you need a permitted septic system. Bowie County has a local office that issues those permits.