Preserve
Control hazards, coverage, occupancy, access, notices and active deterioration.
THE ESTATE HAS A HOUSE. NOW THE HOUSE HAS A WORKFLOW.
Protect the asset. Prove every decision.
A private operating desk for Bexar County executors and administrators managing a home through estate administration.
No names or address requiredNothing stored or submittedOfficial sources reviewed Sep. 2026
A personal representative is a fiduciary managing property for an estate—not the new personal owner of the house. Separate family preference, legal authority, estate benefit and distribution.
Start at authorityThe command doctrine
Preserve → document → authorize → compare → account.
Document
Keep source records, dates, assumptions, approvals, photos, bids and receipts.
Authorize
Match the person, instrument, administration type and proposed act.
Compare
Put keep, repair, list and as-is choices on comparable timelines and net sheets.
Account
Keep estate money separate and make every property decision explainable later.
Desk 02 · executor property calendar
Turn every date into an owner, a source and proof.
Enter court, tax, insurance, loan, HOA, repair, utility and sale dates from the original notice—not memory. Dates entered stay in this browser only.
5open controls
0evidence attached
Private device-only planning board · “proof” means you saved the source document; it does not mean a court or institution accepted it.
Desk 03 · preservation ledger
The house is an estate asset before it is a sale decision.
Use this as a question-and-evidence list. Your lawyer, court orders, policies and actual account documents control.
People & access
Insurance
Condition
Money
Notices
Contents
0/12 preservation controls marked Checking is not legal completion or proof of compliance.
Desk 04 · vendor control sheet
Compare scope and proof—not just price.
Confirm the authorized contracting party before work begins. Avoid undocumented cash work and open-ended disposal instructions.
Desk 05 · comparable net-proceeds worksheet
A price is not a net. A net is not a distribution.
Use the same verified balances and assumptions for every option. This rough planning sheet does not calculate creditor priority, tax, exemptions, beneficiary shares or court approvals.
Executor property urgency screen
Escalate risk before optimizing the house.
Decision boundaries
Five distinctions that prevent expensive shortcuts.
Nomination
A will can nominate an executor; the court process, qualification and Letters establish what can be proved to others.
Possession
Having keys or living in the property does not alone establish ownership, fiduciary office or authority to exclude others.
Preservation
Reasonable protection of an asset is different from improving it, disposing of contents, leasing it or committing to a sale.
Sale proceeds
Gross price minus visible closing costs is not automatically estate net, and estate net is not automatically distributable.
Independent administration
Reduced court supervision does not erase fiduciary duties, governing documents, title requirements, claims or transaction-specific limits.
Official executor shelf
Work from the docket and source documents.
Bexar County Probate Division
Official probate search, clerk contact, current local policies, forms, fees and certified-copy requests.
Bexar County Probate Courts
Court roles, addresses and current contact information for Probate Courts 1, 2 and 3.
Texas Estates Code
Current law governing appointment, qualification, notices, inventory, duties, claims, sales, renting, accounting and distribution.
Texas Estates Code Chapter 351
Official duties-and-powers chapter, including the prudent-person duty of care for estate property and buildings.
Texas Estates Code Chapter 356
Official rules concerning sale of estate property; requirements differ by administration and circumstances.
Bexar County land records
Official deed, lien, recording and certified-copy information. The Clerk does not prepare deeds or guarantee clear title.
TexasLawHelp: estate administration
Attorney-reviewed explanation of appointment, qualification, fiduciary responsibility, property management, debts and distribution.
TexasLawHelp: probate court and self-representation
Explains why a representative acting for beneficiaries and creditors ordinarily needs legal representation.
Executor property questions
Practical answers with fiduciary guardrails.
Am I the executor as soon as I find the will?+
Not necessarily. A nomination in a will does not by itself establish a court appointment, qualification or current Letters. Confirm the docket, signed order, oath/bond status and Letters with qualified counsel.
Can I pay property bills before Letters are issued?+
Urgent preservation may be necessary, but authority, account ownership, reimbursement and source-of-funds questions matter. Preserve notices and receipts and get case-specific advice before moving or committing estate money.
Should I cancel the homeowner policy after the death?+
Do not assume. Tell the carrier accurate facts about death, occupancy, vacancy, condition and responsible contacts. Ask in writing about coverage, named insured, safeguards, claims and deadlines.
Can I clean out the house?+
First document contents, lawful access, authority, beneficiary/occupant issues and any court or will requirements. A cleanout can destroy estate property or evidence; use a written scope and inventory trail.
Do I need court approval to sell?+
It depends on the type and terms of administration, the governing documents, court orders, property status and transaction. Independent and dependent administrations are not interchangeable. Have counsel confirm the specific route.
Can I sell the property to a family member?+
A fiduciary must manage conflicts and act for the estate and interested parties, not a preferred person. Obtain valuation evidence, disclose conflicts and follow counsel/court requirements before any insider transaction.
What should every vendor file contain?+
Authority to hire, written scope and exclusions, price, access log, insurance/license/permit evidence when applicable, before-and-after evidence, approvals, invoice, payment proof and lien-release questions.
Is the appraisal value the property’s market value?+
Not necessarily. Appraisal-district value, broker opinion, repair-adjusted investor value and a formal appraisal answer different questions. Record the date, purpose, assumptions and source of each valuation.
Does the highest offer always produce the best estate result?+
No. Compare verified net proceeds, contingencies, timing, repair exposure, carrying cost, certainty and approvals from the same facts. A gross offer is not a net and a net is not automatically distributable.
When may proceeds be distributed?+
Only after the representative’s authority, claims, expenses, taxes, reserves, court requirements and entitlement questions are handled under the governing law and case. A closing is not automatic permission to distribute.
AFTER AUTHORITY AND PROPERTY FACTS ARE CONTROLLED
Compare an as-is option without surrendering the process.
Bexar County Home Buyers can provide one written as-is option alongside keeping, repairing or listing. We do not appoint representatives, give probate advice, approve estate expenses, determine creditor priority or direct distributions.