Make sure the insurance fits
Tell the insurance company who lives in the house and how long it has been empty, if no one lives there.
For Bexar County and San Antonio area homes
Own a Bexar County house but live somewhere else?
Get a simple plan for checking the house, avoiding missed bills or notices, understanding monthly costs, and deciding what to do next.
Takes about 2 minutes No account or contact information required Answers stay on this device
Who made this site?
Bexar County Home Buyers, a private home-buying company. We provide these tools at no cost. Using them does not send us your answers or require you to speak with us. If you later ask us about buying the property, that is a separate choice.
Simple checkupFind the most important next steps
Clear monthly costSee what the house may cost to keep
Official local linksGo directly to the agency that keeps each record
Start with your situation
What brings you here today?
Choose the statement that feels closest. Each one takes you to the most useful place on this page.
Step-by-step help
Cover the basics before a small problem becomes expensive.
You do not need to become a property expert. Start with the areas below, and ask a qualified professional when a legal, insurance, safety, or repair question needs a firm answer.
Have someone local check it
Choose a trusted person with a key. Ask for dated photos and notes about anything that changed.
Know which services are on
Check water, electricity, gas, heating, cooling, alarms, and what should happen during a freeze or leak.
Keep the outside safe
Watch the yard, trash, doors, windows, fences, pool, drainage, and notices posted at the house.
Check taxes and ownership records
Confirm property taxes, the owner mailing address, the deed, debts tied to the property, and the home loan.
Make sure notices reach you
Forward the mail and ask a local person to photograph anything posted at the house.
Know the monthly cost
Add the loan, taxes, insurance, services, yard care, travel, and money for repairs.
Write down an emergency plan
Decide who can enter, turn off the water, call for help, approve urgent work, and take photos.
Free tool 1
Get a simple property plan
Answer eight questions. It’s okay if you do not know every answer. Your answers stay in this browser tab and are not sent to us.
0/8answered
A simple order
Do the most important work first.
You do not have to solve everything today. First learn what is happening, then put a routine in place, and review the bigger decision later.
Learn what is happening
- Confirm who lives there, who has a key, and when someone last visited.
- Ask the insurance company what the current policy covers.
- Check for leaks, storm damage, broken doors or windows, and official notices.
- Find the tax, home-loan, neighborhood association, utility, and emergency contacts.
Set up a routine
- Choose a trusted local person and a backup.
- Schedule regular checkups with dated photos.
- Set bill alerts, mail forwarding, calendars, and property-record alerts.
- Set aside a realistic amount for repairs and list the next 12 months of costs.
Review the plan
- Compare new photos with older photos.
- Test keys, alarms, contact numbers, and the way notices reach you.
- Compare what you spent with what you planned.
- Ask again whether keeping, renting, repairing, or selling still fits your life.
Someone local can help
Use the same photo checklist every time.
A quick look is more useful when the person checks the same places and records what changed. The checklist explains what to photograph in everyday language.
Five photos to startAsk for the front, back, both sides, and the water meter. Add close photos of anything damaged or different.
Keep track of keysWrite down who has a key. Change door or lockbox codes after a worker, tenant, or guest no longer needs access.
Printable house checkup
What a local person should check
0/12checked
Ask for photos with the date. Use the same views each time so changes are easy to see.
Free tool 2
What does this house cost you each month?
Add the regular bills and an amount for repairs. Enter 0 if you do not pay a cost. If you are not sure, leave the example amount or change it later.
Estimated total cost$1,150/month
$3,45090 days$13,80012 months
This is a planning estimate, not a quote. It does not include property value changes, rental income, taxes on income, large projects, selling costs, or loan changes.
Monthly cost worksheetExample amounts are shown. Change them to match your property.
Compare your choices
Keep, rent, repair, or sell using the same information.
There is no one right answer for every owner. Compare the money, time, work, and uncertainty involved in each choice.
Keep the house as it is
This may fit when the house has a clear purpose and the monthly cost is affordable.
Questions to ask- Why do I want to keep it?
- Who will handle local problems?
- How much money is set aside for repairs?
- When will I review this choice again?
Prepare the house to rent
Rent may help pay the bills, but it adds insurance, repair, legal, and management duties.
Questions to ask- What must be repaired before move-in?
- Who will answer the tenant and emergencies?
- What lease and safety rules apply?
- What money remains after empty months and repairs?
Repair the house, then sell
Repairs may make a sale easier when the work, price, schedule, and likely benefit are clear.
Questions to ask- Do I have a written list of work and prices?
- Who will check the work?
- What will the house cost while repairs are underway?
- After every cost, how much more money might remain?
Sell the house in its current condition
This may trade a higher possible price for a faster sale and less repair work from a distance.
Questions to ask- What loans, taxes, debts, leases, or ownership problems exist?
- How much money remains after every selling cost?
- Can the buyer show that funds are available?
- Do the contract and closing date fit my needs?
Compare the money left—not only the price.
For each choice, write down the cash you must spend, monthly cost, time required, likely surprises, work you must manage, and money you expect to have left. Use the same facts for every choice.
Official local records
Go to the agency that keeps the record.
These links open government or public-authority websites. Bexar Property Desk is private and is not connected with them.
Bexar Central Appraisal DistrictFind the owner name, tax value, address details, and mapBexar County property-tax accountCheck taxes due, statements, and paymentsBexar County official public recordsSearch deeds, debts tied to property, land records, and public noticesFree Bexar Property AlertGet an email when a matching property document is filedSan Antonio Code EnforcementLearn about city violations, responsibilities, and contactsBuildSA permits and code casesSearch for permits and city code casesSan Antonio Vacant BuildingsCheck vacant-building areas, registration, and owner informationTexas Department of InsuranceRead home-insurance guidance and complaint information
If the house may be unsafe
For fire, active crime, a gas smell, medical danger, or an immediate threat to life, call 911. Do not ask an untrained person to enter a badly damaged, flooded, contaminated, fire-damaged, or unsecured building.
Water or storm damage happening now
Use a safe local person or qualified worker to stop the source when possible. Take photos before cleanup if it is safe, and contact the insurance company quickly.
Official notice or deadline
Photograph every page and anything posted at the house. Write down when it was received and contact the agency named on the notice. Forwarding mail does not stop a deadline.
Common questions
Clear answers before you decide.
Rules, insurance, and property details can differ. Use these answers as a starting point, then confirm important details with the agency or qualified professional responsible for them.
How often should someone check an empty house?
Ask the insurance company whether the policy requires a schedule. A weekly check with dated photos is a reasonable starting point for an empty or higher-risk house. Check sooner after severe weather, a repair, unwanted entry, or unusual water or electric use.
Does regular home insurance cover an empty house?
Do not assume it does. Tell the agent exactly how long the house has been empty and ask for written confirmation of what is covered.
Does every empty San Antonio house have to register?
No. The Vacant Building Program applies only in certain areas and situations. Check the current city map and instructions. If you received a Notice to Register, follow the notice and its deadline.
What is the most useful habit for an owner who lives far away?
Have the same local person check the house regularly, take dated photos from the same places, and write down anything that changed.
How can I lower the risk of deed fraud?
Review the recorded deed and owner information. Consider the county’s free Property Alert, which sends a notice when a matching document is filed. An alert does not prevent fraud, so investigate unfamiliar filings quickly.
Should I turn off every utility?
Not automatically. The answer depends on the season, insurance, alarms, plumbing, heating and cooling, leak detection, and the house itself. Write down which services stay on and why.
Can a friend handle workers for me?
A willing friend can provide access, take photos, and report what they see. Give written limits on what they may approve. Ask workers for a written list of work, price, dates, progress photos, invoices, permits, and licenses when required.
How do I know whether keeping the house still makes sense?
Add up 12 months of costs. Write down why you want to keep the house, who handles local problems, what repairs are needed, and when you will reconsider. Compare that with realistic rental and sale choices.
Do these tools send my information to a buyer?
No. The checkup, calculator, and checklist work in your browser and do not send their answers to Bexar County Home Buyers. Calling or requesting a separate property conversation is optional.
Are you a government office or property manager?
No. This resource is published by Bexar County Home Buyers, a private real-estate investment business. We are not connected with Bexar County, the City of San Antonio, an insurance company, law firm, real-estate brokerage, or property manager.
Optional conversation
Want to talk through the property?
Daniel can discuss what you know, what you do not know, and whether selling the house in its current condition is worth considering. You do not have to make repairs or agree to sell.
210-702-8620Request a separate property review The free tools do not send us your answers. A property review is a separate request you choose to make.Website tools are available in English and Spanish. Language availability for phone calls may vary.