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Learn the Texas basics.
In-depth, plain-English guides to the things that trip people up — property taxes, the homestead exemption, buying land, mineral and water rights, and the rules that aren't obvious until they cost you. Every guide points to the official Texas source.
Looking for a calculator instead? Head to Guides & Tools, or start with a question.
Property tax & your home
Owning a home in Texas
Homestead exemption
What it does, who qualifies, and the one form you have to file.
Read the guide ->Appraisal protests
The deadline, the evidence, and how the review board hearing works.
Read the guide ->Property tax estimator
Model the school, county, city, and special-district rate stack.
Read the guide ->Homeowners insurance
Windstorm, flood, and the coverage Texas buyers miss.
Read the guide ->Buying & moving
Getting into a place
Homebuyer timeline
Turn a closing date into homestead, appraisal, and tax-bill reminders.
Read the guide ->Closing costs
Estimate cash to close, with the Texas-specific line items.
Read the guide ->Vehicle registration
Titling, registration, and the inspection-to-registration change.
Read the guide ->Land & property rights
Out on the land
Buying land
Surveys, access, groundwater, floodplain, and what a title really covers.
Read the guide ->Mineral rights
Severed estates, who can use your surface, and how to check.
Read the guide ->Water rights
Groundwater vs. surface water, and the rule that governs your well.
Read the guide ->Property taxes on land
Ag valuation, rollback taxes, and how raw land is taxed.
Read the guide ->Building on rural land
Permits, septic, utilities, and what counties do and don't regulate.
Read the guide ->Boundaries & access
Fences, easements, surveys, and landlocked parcels.
Read the guide ->Eminent domain
What it is, your rights, and where to get help.
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