Confirm ownership documents
Gather the last deed, will, court papers, death certificate, trust, and any transfer deed.
For Bexar County families handling an inherited home
Inherited a house? Separate family assumptions from verified facts.
Confirm who may act, protect the house, track shared expenses, and compare keeping, renting, a family buyout, or selling.
Free No account or contact information Private on this device
Who made this site?
Bexar County Home Buyers, a private home-buying company. The tools are free and do not send us your answers. Discussing a possible purchase is a separate choice.
Start here
Which situation sounds most like yours?
You do not need to know the professional term. Choose the closest statement.
The basics
Do the right work in a clear order.
Confirm who may act
Family agreement and being named in a will may not equal current authority to sign.
Protect the house
Document occupants, keys, insurance, condition, mortgage, taxes, utilities, mail, and notices.
List every person
Record each possible heir, owner, representative, occupant, contact status, document, and open question.
Track every contribution
Keep the payer, date, purpose, amount, approval, statement, and receipt without assigning ownership credit.
Compare with one fact set
Use the same debts, costs, repairs, time, occupancy, and net-money assumptions for every option.
Free tool
Build a document-based family decision plan.
You do not need to know everyone’s percentage yet. Start by separating authority, people, the house, and the options.
Next steps
One thing at a time.
What to do
- Protect people and urgent property risks.
- Gather the deed, will, court, trust, and death records.
- Do not sign a deed, listing, lease, or sale before authority is clear.
What to do
- Create one shared person and document list.
- Log every property bill and personal advance.
- Write down verified facts separately from family recollections.
What to do
- Estimate 12 months of costs and necessary repairs.
- Compare keep, rent, buyout, and sale using the same numbers.
- Record who must approve or sign and choose a review date.
Official sources
Go to the agency responsible.
Rules and accounts change. These links open the official source.
Bexar County Probate DivisionOfficial records, contacts, forms, and probate informationBexar County probate formsCurrent court forms, manuals, and checklistsBexar County public-record searchOfficial land-record search informationTexas State Law Library probate guidePlain-language Texas probate research
Safety comes first.
Call 911 for immediate danger. Do not enter an unsafe house, confront or remove an occupant, change locks, shut off services, remove belongings, mix funds, sign property documents, or distribute money based only on family agreement or this tool.
Common questions
Clear answers to get started.
Confirm dates, rights, and requirements with the responsible agency or qualified professional.
Does a will prove who owns the house now?
A will is important, but title, probate, debts, court orders, and other transfer documents can matter. Have the complete file reviewed.
Does BCAD prove ownership?
No. The appraisal record is a useful clue, not a title opinion or proof that someone may sell.
Does paying bills increase a person’s share?
Do not assume so. Preserve proof and ask qualified estate, title, tax, or accounting professionals how contributions should be handled.
Can one family member make the decision?
Only after ownership and authority are verified. Agreement, possession, keys, or paying expenses may not establish signing power.
Should we repair before deciding?
Handle safety and preservation first. Compare current-condition and repair paths before committing family money to improvements.
Next step
Verify the interest. Protect the house. Make the money visible.
Use the free tool first. If you later want to discuss selling the property in its current condition, that conversation is optional and separate.