RELOCATION DECISION KIT Worksheets, checklists and questions for buyers moving to Greater San Antonio

1 Corridor and destination comparison

Score each corridor for the criteria that matter to your move. Leave school district as a fact to verify for the exact address with the district, not a label.

Corridor orientation is on the relocation guide, and each area has a full community page.

2 Complete-payment worksheet (with assumptions)

The complete monthly payment is more than price and rate. Write every assumption next to the number so you can compare apples to apples. No rate, tax rate, or insurance quote is promised here: current figures come from your lender, the appraisal district, and your insurance quotes.

Escrow: in Texas, taxes and insurance are usually collected monthly into escrow, so these are part of the payment, not a separate annual bill. Cash to close (down payment, closing costs, prepaids, option fee) is a separate number the lender estimates.

3 County, city, ISD, MUD, and PID jurisdiction checklist

Every Texas property sits in several taxing jurisdictions, each with its own rate on the appraised value. Find the exact answer for the address, not the neighborhood.

• County and its appraisal district (Bexar, Comal, Kendall, or Guadalupe)
• City limits or unincorporated county? Which city, if any?
• School district for this exact address (confirm with the district)
• MUD (municipal utility district) assessments, if any
• PID (public improvement district) assessments, if any
• Emergency services district and fire coverage, if any
• Homestead exemption plan and filing timing after closing
• Total combined tax rate and what it adds to the monthly payment

Use the official appraisal districts listed in section 11 to pull the record for the exact address.

4 Roof and insurance questions

• Actual roof age and condition, year of last replacement
• Roof material and age noted on the sellers disclosure
• Any insurance claim or roof history disclosed
• Get an insurance quote with the roof facts, not a generic zip-code quote
• Wind and hail exposure and how the carrier treats it
• Confirm the quote covers replacement appropriate to the roof type
• Add the quoted premium to the payment worksheet above

A roof that is old or in poor condition can change which carriers will write a policy and at what premium. Verify before you commit the payment math.

5 Foundation and drainage questions

• Sticking doors, cracked interior or exterior walls, sloping floors
• Cracks in the foundation slab or perimeter
• Any prior foundation repair, with documentation
• Gutters, grading, and downspouts direct water away from the slab
• Consider a structural engineer if the inspector flags movement
• How drainage behaves on the lot during and after heavy rain

Foundation condition can affect inspection findings, engineering, insurability, appraisal value, and financing. Get the facts before the option period ends.

6 Well, septic, and access checklist

• Water source: city, well, water supply corporation, or utility district?
• If well: water quality test, well yield, and drilling records
• If septic: permit, last pumped/inspected date, and capacity for the home
• Sewer line to the home and connection fees or buys
• Road type: public, private, or shared drive; who maintains it
• Legal access, easements, and any right-of-way on the title commitment
• Utility easements that cross the lot

Water and septic are common deal-breakers and deal-savers in Hill Country acreage. Verify them before the option period ends.

7 New-construction representation and incentive checklist

• Understand the incentive: price, rate buydown, closing cost help, or upgrades
• Compare the all-in long-term cost, not the headline discount
• Confirm whether independent representation is allowed and whether it affects price
• Read the contract and the completion timeline
• Third-party inspection at framing and at delivery
• Verify the appraisal, taxes, and insurance on the finished, true configuration
• Confirm lender and title company choices and any steering

8 Texas option-period and inspection timeline

1. Offer accepted: contract signed, earnest money deposited, option fee paid.
2. Option period begins: you paid for the right to terminate for almost any reason during a set number of days (typically 7 to 10).
3. Inspections: general inspection plus specialists (roof, foundation, well, septic, HVAC) within the option window.
4. Repair negotiations: requests go to the seller before the option period ends; the option fee is generally non-refundable, so use every day.
5. Appraisal and financing: run in parallel; the appraisal protects the price and the lender, and the contract has its own financing provisions.
6. Title and survey: title commitment surfaces liens, easements, and access issues.
7. Closing: final walkthrough, signing, funding. Deadlines drive everything, and missing one can cost earnest money.

Contract details come from your actual Texas contract. The option period is your remote-buying protection: never let it expire while questions are unanswered.

9 Remote-buying checklist

• Pre-approval completed before house hunting
• Corridor shortlist based on commute, services, and payment
• Virtual tours and live walkthroughs used to shortlist, not finalize
• Local licensed inspector and specialists engaged
• Option period long enough for inspection from a distance
• Closing logistics: remote signing, wiring, notary steps with title
• Travel planned for the final walkthrough, if at all possible

10 Sell-there / buy-here timeline, and the PCS variation

1. Pre-approval in hand before you list or search.
2. List and market the departing home on a timeline that matches the move.
3. Decide the sequence: sell first, buy first, or a sale contingency on the Texas offer.
4. Plan where equity lands and when it funds the next down payment.
5. Plan the gap if one closing slips: short-term rental, extended stay, or bridge funds.
6. Close both sides, with the Texas option period protecting the purchase.

PCS variation: with military orders, add the report date, the housing office check-in, temporary lodging or short-term rental plans, and BAH budgeting from the official rates. The full sequence is in the PCS to Joint Base San Antonio guide, and both the sale and purchase coordination live in the sell-and-buy guide.

11 Official school-boundary and local public-data links

Use official sources for every decision line in this kit; never a competitor site as the primary source. School and district boundaries are set by the district and verified with the district for the exact address.

• Bexar Appraisal District (BCAD) Official appraisal records and property tax data for Bexar County.
• Comal Central Appraisal District Official appraisal records for Comal County (New Braunfels, Bulverde, Spring Branch area).
• Kendall Central Appraisal District Official appraisal records for Kendall County (Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch area).
• Guadalupe Appraisal District Official appraisal records for Guadalupe County (Schertz, Cibolo, Seguin area).
• Texas Education Agency (TEA) Official state education agency; confirm school district boundaries directly with the district for any address.
• FEMA Flood Map Service Center Official flood risk maps; check the exact parcel, not the neighborhood.
• Texas Comptroller, Property Tax Official property tax basics, rates, and appraisal district directory.
• Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Official insurance help and consumer resources for Texas homeowners.
• Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Official road projects, closures, and corridor information.
• Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) Official JBSA newcomer and housing pages for PCS moves.

12 Questions to ask before you make an offer

• What is the complete monthly payment for this exact property, with taxes, insurance, and assessments, and what assumptions sit under it?
• What are the appraisal district record, the flood zone, and the utility and water source for this exact address?
• How old is the roof, and what did the insurance quote say for this property?
• What did the foundation, well, and septic (if any) inspections find?
• Who maintains the road, and what easements or access issues are on the title?
• What does the HOA or deed restriction allow, and what does it cost each month?
• If new construction: what is the incentive worth long-term, and is my representation independent?
• If moving for work or a PCS: does the commute work at the real travel time, and does my timeline allow the option period to finish?
• What is my out-the-door cash to close, and where does each line come from?