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Home & Property

Local Notes

Home & Property notes

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Gray County · Water Wells

A Groundwater District Regulates Water Wells in Gray County

Gray County is inside the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District, which means drilling or using a well here requires following district rules.

Gray County · Mineral Rights

Oil and Gas Are a Big Part of Gray County's Economy

Gray County has produced oil and gas since the 1920s, so if you buy land here, mineral rights and Railroad Commission activity are things to check.

Grayson County · Flood Insurance

Grayson County Got New FEMA Flood Maps in 2022

Updated flood maps for Grayson County took effect in September 2022, so your property's flood risk zone may be different than it was before.

Grayson County · Weather Hazards

Grayson County Is in Tornado and Severe Storm Country

The National Weather Service keeps a Grayson County tornado record, and its severe-weather guidance treats hail, wind, and tornado warnings as shelter-now events.

Grayson County · Floodplain

Sherman Has a Floodplain Management Program for City Properties

The City of Sherman manages local floodplain information and works with FEMA flood maps to help property owners understand their flood risk.

Grayson County · Geography

The Red River Forms Grayson County's Northern Border with Oklahoma

The Red River runs along the top of Grayson County, marking the state line with Oklahoma, and Lake Texoma sits on that border.

Gregg County · Flood Risk

Flooding is a real risk in parts of Gregg County

Parts of Gregg County, including areas in and around Longview, Kilgore, and Gladewater, lie in FEMA-mapped flood hazard areas.

Gregg County · Housing rules

Kilgore Is Strict About Mobile and Manufactured Homes

Inside Kilgore city limits, manufactured homes fit limited situations, and mobile homes are not allowed.

Gregg County · City permits

Kilgore Puts Zoning, Permits, and Site Clues in One Development Path

Kilgore's development office ties together zoning, building review, public works, fire review, maps, and permit checklists.

Gregg County · Historic property

Old Longview Buildings Can Need Landmark Review

Longview has local landmarks and historic overlay areas where old-building work may need city review before it starts.

Gregg County · Septic systems

Rural Gregg County Septic Starts With the Health Department

For a home outside sewer service, Gregg County points owners toward an on-site sewage facility application, site evaluation, checklist, and permitting process.

Gregg County · Infill homes

South Longview Has a Targeted Homebuilding Incentive

Longview's South Longview Incentive Program points new owner-occupied single-family homebuilding toward a specific part of town.

Grimes County · Septic / OSSF

Most Rural Homes in Grimes County Use a Septic System

Outside Navasota and the small towns, most Grimes County homes are not on a public sewer line. They use a septic system, and Grimes County does its own permitting through its Environmental Services office in Anderson.

Grimes County · Flood Risk

The Navasota River Floods — Know Your Property's Risk

The Navasota River runs through Grimes County and can rise quickly during heavy rain, putting roads and low-lying properties at risk.

Guadalupe County · Water Supply

Canyon Lake Is the County's Main Surface Water Source

The Guadalupe River basin, including Canyon Lake, provides the main surface water supply for the county and surrounding region.

Guadalupe County · Growth & Development

Guadalupe County Is Growing Fast

Guadalupe County has grown rapidly in recent decades, driven largely by its location between San Antonio and Austin on the I-35 corridor.

Guadalupe County · Environmental

Kingsbury Metal Finishing Is in TCEQ Superfund Records

TCEQ lists Kingsbury Metal Finishing in its Guadalupe County Superfund records.

Guadalupe County · Groundwater

The County Has Its Own Groundwater District

The Guadalupe County Groundwater Conservation District regulates wells and helps manage the county's underground water supply.

Guadalupe County · Flood Risk

The Guadalupe River Floods — Know Your Risk

The Guadalupe River runs through the county and has a history of serious flooding, so buyers should check FEMA flood maps before purchasing.

Hale County · Weather Hazards

Hale County sits in prime tornado and hail country

The South Plains around Plainview sees frequent severe thunderstorms, large hail, and occasional tornadoes, especially from March through June.

Hale County · Mineral Rights

Mineral rights and surface rights are often owned by different people in Hale County

Oil was discovered in Hale County in 1946, and mineral rights on many properties were severed from surface rights long ago — check before you buy.

Hale County · Flood Risk

Running Water Draw can flood — check FEMA maps before buying near it

Running Water Draw passes through Hale County and its floodplain is mapped by FEMA — property near it may require flood insurance.

Hale County · Groundwater

Your well water in Hale County comes from the Ogallala Aquifer — a finite resource

Hale County sits over the Ogallala Aquifer, which supplies most irrigation and many private wells but is slowly declining.

Hall County · Agriculture

Farming and Ag Valuation in Hall County

Hall County is an agricultural county where cotton, peanuts, and cattle dominate, and rural land may qualify for a lower ag-use property tax valuation.

Hall County · Water & Wells

Groundwater Rules for Hall County Properties

Hall County wells sit in Mesquite GCD country, where the local questions are permit status, aquifer pocket, and real well yield.

Hamilton County · On-Site Sewage Rules

Septic Permits for Rural Property in Hamilton County

For septic work in rural Hamilton County, start with the county OSSF packet before any digging begins.

Hansford County · Groundwater

Your Well Water Comes from the Ogallala Aquifer

Almost all water in Hansford County is pumped from the Ogallala Aquifer, a vast underground reservoir that has been slowly declining for decades.

Hardeman County · Mineral Rights

Oil, Gas, and Mineral Rights in Hardeman County

Oil was discovered in Hardeman County in 1944, and the Railroad Commission of Texas still regulates all oil and gas activity here.

Hardeman County · Water Supply

Water Wells in Hardeman County Need a Map and a Test

Rural Hardeman County well questions start with water quality records and the official groundwater-district map.

Hardin County · Water Wells

Hardin County wells fall under the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District

If you plan to drill a water well on rural land in Hardin County, check with the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District early.

Hardin County · Development Permits

In Hardin County, "development" means more than just buildings

Buy rural acreage here and the county may want a permit before grading, filling, paving, drilling, or building.

Hardin County · Flooding

Much of Hardin County is in a flood-prone river basin — check your address

The Neches River and several creeks drain through Hardin County, putting many low-lying properties in or near FEMA flood zones.

Hardin County · Manufactured Homes

Setting a manufactured home in Hardin County? The permit is on you, not the dealer

Hardin County requires a $100 placement permit before a manufactured home goes on the lot, and the buyer or homeowner has to get it.

Hardin County · Driveway Access

Who installs your driveway culvert in Hardin County depends on whose road it is

A new driveway off a county-maintained road usually starts with the culvert permit. State highways and private roads are handled elsewhere.

Harris County · Home Buyout Program

A Harris County Flood Buyout Starts With Voluntary Interest, Not a Promise

Owners of some deeply flood-prone Harris County homes can volunteer for review, but submitting interest does not guarantee a purchase.

Harris County · Hurricane Risk

A Harris County Hurricane Can Bring Three Different Kinds of Damage

Wind, storm surge, and inland flooding overlap in Harris County, but the mix changes with the address and the storm.

Harris County · Floodplain Permits

Building in Unincorporated Harris County Starts With a Permit

Harris County's floodplain rules apply in unincorporated areas, where development needs county review before work begins.

Harris County · Online Property Tools

Harris County Homeowners Can Manage Their Property Records Online

HCAD puts a lot of Harris County property work online: exemptions, public data, address searches, and mobile homestead filing.

Harris County · Flood Risk

Harris County's Flood District Has Its Own Maps and Projects

The Harris County Flood Control District works across the county's bayous, channels, and detention basins, while its maps help residents see which watershed drains their address.

Harris County · Flood Insurance / FEMA Maps

How to Check Your Flood Zone Before Buying in Harris County

FEMA's Map Service Center shows the effective flood map for a Harris County address, but a mapped zone is only one part of a property's flood history.

Harris County · Windstorm Insurance

Parts of Harris County Can Get Windstorm Insurance Through TWIA

Property east of Highway 146 in Harris County may be in TWIA's designated wind-and-hail area, but location is only the first eligibility test.

Harris County · Property Records

Search Harris County Real Property Records With the Clerk

The Harris County Clerk records deeds, liens, and plats — and lets you search them online before you buy a property.

Harris County · Municipal Utility Districts

What a MUD Is — and Why It Matters in Harris County

Harris County has hundreds of Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) that provide water, sewer, and drainage to homes outside city limits.

Harrison County · Property Records

Finding Deeds, Plats, and Liens in Harrison County

Every recorded deed, plat, and lien in Harrison County lives with the County Clerk, and older land records reach back to 1840, when this was Republic-of-Texas territory.

Harrison County · Floodplain

Floodplain Permits Go Through Road & Bridge in Harrison County

If your Harrison County lot sits in a mapped flood zone, the floodplain permit and the elevation it requires come from the County Engineer at Road & Bridge.

Harrison County · Mineral Rights

Mineral Rights and Oil Production in Harrison County

Harrison County has a history of oil and gas production, and in Texas the mineral estate and surface estate are often owned by different people.

Harrison County · Septic / OSSF

Septic Systems in Harrison County Require a Permit

Most rural Harrison County homes run on a septic system, and the permits and inspections go through the county's Environmental Health office on Warren Drive in Marshall.

Harrison County · Land Development

Splitting Land or Opening an RV Park in Harrison County

Carving a rural tract into lots or setting up a mobile-home, RV, or tiny-home park in Harrison County runs through Environmental Health on Warren Drive, and the roads have to fit a fire truck.

Hartley County · Water Wells

Drilling a Well in Hartley County Requires a Permit From a Groundwater District

Hartley County sits over the Ogallala Aquifer, and anyone planning to drill a new well that will produce more than a small amount of water must get a permit first.

Haskell County · Water wells

Drilling a water well in Haskell County requires a permit

The Rolling Plains Groundwater Conservation District covers all of Haskell County and requires a permit before you drill a new water well.

Haskell County · Mineral rights / oil and gas

Oil and gas in Haskell County falls under Railroad Commission District 7B

Haskell County has a long oil-producing history, and all oil and gas activity here is regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas under District 7B, based in Abilene.

Hays County · Septic

A rural Hays County septic system starts with the parcel

A county septic permit depends on the lot, house plan, system design, and legal tract status.

Hays County · Groundwater District

Check the well rules before buying in western Hays County

The Hays Trinity district maps wells, handles well forms, and posts current drought rules for western Hays County.

Hays County · Flood Risk

Flash Flood Alley starts with thin soil and steep creek country

Hill Country rain runs off rock and into narrow creeks. Flood risk does not stop at the Blanco River's banks.

Hays County · Growth & Demographics

Hays County grew into a hinge between Austin and the Hill Country

The county nearly doubled in size from the 2010 count to the 2025 estimate. That growth changed both towns and rural land.

Hays County · Flood Hazard

The 2015 Blanco flood is the local high-water lesson

The 2015 flood swept away homes and broke public works, so riverfront land deserves a close flood check.

Hays County · Groundwater & Aquifer

The Edwards Aquifer comes to the surface at San Marcos Springs

Cracks and caves in the limestone move water toward San Marcos Springs and the river above them.

Hays County · Floodplain

The floodplain line is not the edge of Hays County permit review

County review can apply to land work outside a mapped floodplain. A small rule for indoor remodels is an important exception.

Henderson County · Flood Risk

A Cedar Creek address needs a building-level flood check

FEMA flood zones follow mapped land, while the lender decides whether the building securing a loan triggers an insurance requirement.

Henderson County · Septic / OSSF

A Henderson County septic system usually needs approval first

A new or changed on-site sewage facility normally needs county approval, and the 10-acre exception requires much more than acreage.