Sell a Texas lot that already has water, septic, and power

I buy lots from 0 to 5 acres that already have water, a septic system, and electric service, anywhere in Texas. I also buy bare land in that same size, and lots with an old mobile home. Installed utilities are a fact about the lot. They are not a price I will print. Text me the address or photos of your land, and say what is already in the ground.

This is general information from public Texas sources, not legal advice about a permit or a well.

Why the utilities matter

Raw land and a lot with service already run to it are not the same piece of ground. I buy both. If water, septic, and power are in, I want to know whose records say so. A photo of a meter or a tank lid is a start. The paper is better. There are no fees to you, and I pay the closing costs. When the deed is clear, a sale can close in as little as 24 hours. A missing permit does not turn into a promise about the date.

Septic, which Texas calls an OSSF

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on-site sewage facility page is the state's home for septic systems. TCEQ's permit page says a permit is required to construct, install, alter, extend, or repair an on-site sewage facility, and that TCEQ is not often the permitting authority. Local rules can be stricter than the state minimum. The homeowner page points you to the local permitting authority. TCEQ's county search for the OSSF program is where you see who handles that county. Ask that office if a permit is on file for the address. The OSSF contacts page is there if you cannot tell who to call.

If the system is old, or you have never seen a permit, say so. I am still open to the lot. I will not tell you an unpermitted tank is approved. An authorized agent is a local government that runs the program under TCEQ's rules. The TCEQ page on authorized agents describes that role. Your county's agent, when there is one, is who has the file.

A well, or water from someone else

A private well and a water bill are different. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality page on finding water-well reports says the Texas Water Development Board has well data you can look up, and that TCEQ has scanned reports submitted by mail. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation water well drillers program licenses the people who drill and service wells. If a company, a water supply corporation, or a utility district serves the lot, the record is the account with them. I do not have a statewide price for that service, and I will not invent one.

Electric service

A meter on a pole means someone is providing power. In a lot of rural counties that someone is an electric cooperative. The Public Utility Commission of Texas electric industry page is the state overview. Texas Utilities Code Chapter 41 limits how far the commission's jurisdiction over electric cooperatives goes. The co-op or the company that bills the lot is who can say whether service and a meter are active. Ask them. Tell me the name if you know it.

If a mobile home is still on the lot, the home's Statement of Ownership is a separate record. That is the old-home lot page. Bare acreage, with or without these utilities, is the sell land page. Text me the address either way.

Gather the utility records for a Texas lot

Write down the water source, find who permits septic in that county, and name the electric provider. If a record is missing, say so.

Write down the water. A private well, a water supply company, or a district bill are different records.
Find the septic permitting authority for the county on the TCEQ county search, and ask whether a permit is on file for the address.
If the water is a well, look for a driller's report. The Texas Water Development Board keeps well data, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses well drillers.
Name who provides the electric service and whether a meter is on the lot. The co-op or the company that bills you has that record.
If the septic is old, or you have never seen a permit, say that in the text. I still want the address.

Questions people ask

Why do installed utilities matter?

A lot that already has water, septic, and power is a different lot from raw land. I buy both, from 0 to 5 acres, anywhere in Texas. I will not put a dollar amount on the utilities. I need to know they are there, and what the records say.

Who has the septic permit?

Texas calls a septic system an on-site sewage facility. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says a permit is required to construct, install, alter, extend, or repair one, and that TCEQ is often not the local permitting authority. Use TCEQ's county search and ask that local authority if a permit is on file. If you cannot find one, tell me.

What is the difference between a well and a water company?

A well is on the property. A driller's report may be in the Texas Water Development Board's well data, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses the drillers. A water supply company or a utility district sends a bill. The account, not a state price list, is the record. I do not publish a value for either one.

Who do I ask about the electric meter?

The cooperative or the company that serves the lot. The Public Utility Commission of Texas has an electric industry page, and its reach over electric cooperatives is limited. The co-op is who knows whether a meter and service are on the lot. I will not guess the provider from a photo.

What if the septic is old or was never permitted?

Tell me. I am open to the lot anyway, from 0 to 5 acres. An old system or a missing permit is a fact about the land, not a reason to hide it. I will not tell you the system is legal. This page is not legal advice.