Realtors in San Antonio

Appraisal districts such as Bastrop and Fort Bend CAD say sale prices aren't reported to them and that they may release sales data only for a protest. Texas has no state property tax; local governments set the rates, and the Bexar Appraisal District values homes as of January 1 each year. It appraises more than 797,000 properties, takes protests online, in person or by mail, and answers at (210) 242-2432.

Homestead exemptions for San Antonio buyers

School districts must give a $140,000 residence homestead exemption under Tax Code §11.13(b), as amended effective November 4, 2025, and owners 65 or older or disabled get another $60,000. You apply at the appraisal district, generally before May 1, and a buyer who closes after January 1 may get the exemption for part of the year if the seller didn't have it. Bills generally come due by January 31 of the following year. Confirm how these apply to your home with a tax adviser or the appraisal district.

• Flood risk. San Antonio Public Works points residents to BexarFlood and the SA Flood Emergency system for flood risk. Outside the city, building near the 100-year floodplain needs a Bexar County Floodplain Development Permit ($50 per activity).
• Hail history. The April 12, 2016 hailstorm did $1.36 billion of damage in Bexar County. Check the seller's disclosure, and ask the inspector about roof age and past claims.
• Termites. A termite report for the sale must be on TDA's Wood Destroying Insect Report form; see pest control in San Antonio.
• Short-term rentals. The city issues STR permits through Development Services, and operators owe 9% city and 1.75% Bexar County hotel tax plus the state tax. The city doesn't enforce HOA covenants or deed restrictions, so read those yourself.
• Trees on a lot. Building on a lot can trigger the city tree ordinance (significant trees from 6 inches, heritage from 24) in the city and its ETJ.

A seller of a single-dwelling home must give you the Seller's Disclosure Notice by the contract's effective date. If they don't, you may terminate for any reason within seven days after you receive it.

Anyone acting as a broker or sales agent in Texas needs a TREC license, and a sales agent must work under a sponsoring broker who answers for their activity. TREC's License Holder Lookup shows whether the license is active, any discipline, and the agent's sponsoring broker. At your first substantive conversation about a specific property, the agent must give you the Information About Brokerage Services notice; the current form is IABS 1-2, effective January 1, 2026.

San Antonio buyer agreements and fees

A San Antonio agent who represents you as a buyer must have your signed written agreement before the first showing, under a state rule in force from January 1, 2026. The agreement must state the broker's pay and say in plain terms that compensation isn't set by law and is fully negotiable. TREC doesn't regulate commissions. On the TREC resale contract, you pay an option fee for an unrestricted right to terminate within the days you negotiate; terminate in time and the earnest money comes back but the option fee doesn't.

For context, the Texas statewide median price was $339,000 in July 2026, unchanged from a year earlier, according to the Texas Real Estate Research Center. That's a state figure, not a San Antonio one. This page explains the rules; confirm contract and tax questions with a licensed Texas real estate broker or lawyer. The full Texas guide is on our real estate hub, local rules are on the San Antonio guide, and you can compare realtors in Boerne.