Control entry
Confirm lawful possession, recover or change access after authorized users leave, log every key and code, and do not conceal unsafe conditions.
For vacant houses across Bexar County
Empty is a condition. Vacant is a system to manage.
A no-pressure command center for securing the house, protecting coverage, controlling water and access, documenting condition, understanding local obligations, and deciding what happens next.
Private tools No account Official local links
Control accessNamed local authority and a backupMatch coverageWritten vacancy and inspection termsSee changeRepeatable photos and exception logsChoose deliberatelyCosted paths and a review date
First 48 hours
Stabilize before you optimize.
Do not start with paint, a listing, or an open-ended contractor conversation. Establish safety, lawful access, coverage, water control, condition, and official notices first.
Tell the insurer
Disclose actual occupancy, vacancy start, condition, utilities, security, and inspection plan. Request written coverage details.
Control water + climate
Know the main shutoff, meter, thermostat, irrigation, freeze plan, alerts, and who is allowed to respond.
Create a condition baseline
Use consistent wide and close photos, meter readings, roofline, drainage, openings, interior moisture, pests, and posted notices.
Assemble the property file
Deed, loan, taxes, HOA, insurance, utilities, permits, leases, notices, vendors, access, and emergency authority.
Install the escalation chain
Define what the local person observes, what triggers a call, who authorizes spending, and when professionals or emergency services take over.
Interactive tool 01
Build a 90-day vacant-house plan.
Eight answers produce an ordered stabilization plan. Nothing is transmitted or stored.
0/8answered
Eyes on the property
Security is access control plus evidence.
Locks matter, but vacant-house protection also depends on mail, yard, utilities, neighbor communication, recurring visits, response authority, and not advertising absence.
Do not improvise permanent boarding. Local standards can restrict temporary materials and methods. Verify City requirements before covering openings.
Do not confront trespassers. Preserve safety and evidence; use law enforcement and appropriate legal help.
Interactive tool 02
0/12Vacancy security + condition check
A safe visit observes and documents. It does not ask an untrained helper to confront people or enter an unsafe structure.
Interactive tool 01
The Empty House Cost Calculator
Replace every example with your actual statement, invoice, or reserve. Results update instantly and stay in this browser.
Private by designNo account. Nothing submitted.
What this number is—and is not. It is a planning estimate of recurring cash outflow. It does not predict appreciation, sale proceeds, rent, tax treatment, financing changes, or the cost of a fire, leak, vandalism, major repair, legal issue, or uninsured loss.
San Antonio program check
Vacancy does not automatically mean registration.
The City's Vacant Building Program uses a definition, program boundaries, and property-specific criteria. Check eligibility rather than relying on a neighbor, buyer, contractor, or generalized web summary.
30 daysCity guidance describes cessation of lawful activity for 30 days in its vacancy definition.90 daysThe City lists failure to register a covered vacant building within 90 days as a violation.AnnualRegistered vacant buildings renew registration each year under current program guidance.
Check eligibility and program areaOfficial definition, current boundaries, and program mapVacant Buildings Program hubRegistration, current fees, inventory, contacts, and owner resourcesMaintenance standardsRequired care categories, insurance notes, and published penaltiesCurrent codes and ordinancesOfficial adopted property-maintenance and building codesBexar County Code ComplianceRules and complaint process for unincorporated Bexar CountyTexas Department of InsuranceVacancy coverage guidance and consumer help
Decision runway
Give the property a purpose—or an exit trigger.
Vacancy becomes expensive when the intended future use is vague and each month is approved by default. Compare one-time action with the monthly carry it changes.
Name the horizon
Write the planned occupancy, rent-ready, project-completion, or sale-review date.
Fund the work
Separate recurring carry, repair reserve, and the one-time scope required for the chosen path.
Set the trigger
Condition, cash, time, code status, insurance, or family need can trigger a new decision.
Interactive tool 03
When does a one-time action pay back?
Test a stabilization, cleanout, repair, rent-ready project, or other action that changes the monthly carry.
Simple cash break-even7.1 months
Simple cash comparison only; it excludes financing, taxes, appreciation, rent, sale proceeds, risk reduction, and the time value of money.The inputs reduce monthly carrying cost by $850. At that pace, the initial $6,000 is recovered in about 8 months.
No checklist makes unsafe entry safe.
Call 911 for fire, active crime, gas odor, medical danger, collapse risk, or immediate threat to life. Use qualified professionals for structural instability, fire damage, flooding, contamination, electrical hazards, active trespass, or unsafe access.
Vacant-house questions
Practical answers with clear limits.
Property facts, policy language, jurisdiction, notices, lending requirements, and current law control.
When does San Antonio consider a building vacant?
The City's program guidance describes a building, structure, or house where all lawful activity has ceased, or reasonably appears to have ceased, for 30 days. Program registration still depends on the property and program area.
Does every vacant San Antonio house have to register?
No. The Vacant Building Program applies to qualifying vacant buildings within defined program boundaries. Check the official eligibility map and any notice received.
Can I board windows and doors with plywood?
Do not assume permanent plywood boarding is allowed. Published City code materials restrict temporary securing and note a 14-day maximum for temporary plywood in the referenced circumstances, with approval requirements. Confirm the current standard before installing materials.
Does a vacant single-family house need proof of insurance for City registration?
The City's maintenance page says proof of insurance is not required for vacant single-family buildings, while liability insurance is required for other vacant buildings. That is a City program rule—not a statement that an owner should remain uninsured or that a lender permits it.
How often should the house be checked?
Ask the insurer whether the policy requires a cadence. Weekly documented interior/exterior checks are a prudent baseline for many vacant or high-risk homes, with additional checks after weather, repairs, entry, alarms, or utility anomalies.
Should the water be shut off?
It depends on insurance, season, plumbing, irrigation, alarms, fire protection, HVAC, humidity, freeze risk, and who can respond. Document the decision and use qualified help for winterization or system changes.
What if unauthorized people may be inside?
Do not confront them or send an untrained person inside. For active crime or immediate danger call 911; otherwise use law enforcement and qualified legal guidance, secure evidence, and protect access after lawful possession is restored.
How do I decide whether to keep, rent, repair, or sell?
Use the same facts for every path: cash required, monthly carry, time, condition, uncertainty, management effort, legal or code status, and expected net outcome. Set a review date so vacancy does not continue by default.
Start with control
Build my plan Build the next 90 days now.
A named person, a documented inspection, a truthful coverage conversation, and a review date change vacancy from drift into a plan.