Realtors in Santa Fe

Galveston County is a TDI catastrophe area. New structures, additions, alterations and repairs, including re-roofs, must be built to TDI standards and inspected, and the resulting WPI-8 is the certificate TWIA looks for. Search a property's past WPI-8s on TDI's windstorm site or call 800-248-6032, option 3. A completed house that fails can be certified once deficiencies are fixed, or may qualify through TWIA's waiver program.

TWIA, at 800-788-8247, is the insurer of last resort for wind and hail on the coast. TDI says Texas law doesn't require windstorm insurance, but to buy TWIA you must have been turned down by an insurer and hold a compliance certificate, and you can't buy it while a hurricane is in the Gulf. Price insurance before your option period ends.

Flood maps for Santa Fe homes

A flood policy doesn't cover wind or hail damage, so the two are priced separately. Look the address up at msc.fema.gov, and ask your agent about the new Galveston County flood maps FEMA is preparing. For drainage questions on a lot, Galveston County Drainage District No. 1 is at 3722 Ave J (409-925-5402).

TREC's most-used contract is the One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), form 20-19, effective July 1, 2026. The buyer pays an option fee for an unrestricted right to terminate within the negotiated days; the fee isn't refunded if you terminate, but the earnest money is. Both are delivered to the escrow agent within 3 days of the effective date. The seller must give a written Seller's Disclosure Notice by the effective date.

The Galveston Central Appraisal District values property, and owners protest online through its taxpayer portal. Texas school districts give a $140,000 residence homestead exemption, plus $60,000 more for owners 65 or older or disabled (Tax Code §11.13, amended effective November 4, 2025); apply at GCAD, generally before May 1, and confirm there which exemptions apply to your home. Confirm contract and tax questions with a licensed broker, attorney or tax adviser.

A Texas agent must hold a TREC license and work under a sponsoring broker who is responsible for their work. Agents must put your interests above everyone else's, their own included. Before the first showing, run the agent's name through TREC's lookup for license status, any discipline and the sponsoring broker. At your first substantive conversation about a property, the agent must give you the Information About Brokerage Services notice.

A buyer's agent now needs your signature on a written agreement before showing you a Santa Fe house, a rule in force since January 1, 2026; the agreement must state the broker's pay and that it is fully negotiable, and a non-exclusive showing agreement can run up to 14 days. TREC doesn't regulate commissions. See the Texas real estate guide, the Santa Fe local guide and realtors in League City, and line up Santa Fe roofers if the inspection flags the roof.