Bexar County Property Search
Bexar County property records bear various information pertaining to lands and buildings in the county, including real estate ownership, liens, value, mortgages, and tax liabilities. As a result, these records are vital to persons looking to acquire, sell, or invest in real estate in the county. Such persons can conduct a Bexar property records search through local government offices and third parties (for example, a title company or third-party database). Per Texas law, these records are considered a part of Bexar County Public Records and are disclosable to the public unless otherwise determined by law or judicial order.
The Bexar County Clerk's Recording Division is integral in filing and maintaining property records for research purposes, to prevent property fraud, and for other legal or financial purposes. Aside from the clerk's office, other county departments like the appraisal district and tax assessor-collector also disseminate real estate records and information to interested persons in Bexar County, Texas.
Are Bexar County Property Records Public?
Yes. Members of the public can obtain property records maintained in Bexar County under the Texas Public Information Act. This Act reserves the public's right to access government records, including records held by the Bexar County Clerk's Recording Division and other property record custodians in the county, provided a law or court order does not restrict access.
Below are some laws that restrict access to certain property records in Bexar County:
- Sec. 552.105 excludes access to information related to a property's appraisal, price, or physical location before the public announcement or the formal award of contract for the said property.
- Sec. 552.104 exempts information relating to the competition or bidding on a piece of property if the disclosure will harm the interests of an involved governmental body by offering an advantage to a bidder or competitor.
What Do Bexar County Property Records Contain?
Bexar County property records carry information about real estate, which an individual may need to defend ownership rights to a parcel of land or estimate the value of the property. The Bexar County Clerk's Office typically keeps these records, but other local departments (like the appraisal district) also retain property information. Examples of these records - and their contents - include:
Property Ownership Records:
This includes a current property owner's name and address, the legal description of a property, a property's physical address, and past property owners.
Lien Records:
These records carry information about liens attached to real estate, including federal tax liens, state tax liens, mechanics' liens, and judgment liens.
Mortgage Records:
These contain mortgage information, such as the mortgagor and mortgagee names, the maturity date, the recording date, the debt amount, and mortgage terms and conditions.
Property Appraisal Information:
Appraisal records contain information about real estate assessments, including a property owner's name and address, the property address, market value, taxable value, tax assessment history, and sales history.
Where to Perform a Bexar County Property Lookup
Members of the public can perform a Bexar County property lookup via the official government custodians. These searches can be completed in person, by mail, or online. However, while one may inspect unofficial copies or original documents at no cost, official copies typically require a nominal payment.
For starters, the Bexar County Clerk's Office Recording Division has a search application that disseminates real estate records. This includes deeds, lien records, and mortgage information. The application has the following search options:
- Grantor/Grantee
- Instrument number
- Document type
- Subdivision
The clerk's office can also be contacted at the address below for property record inquiries:
Paul Elizondo Tower
101 W. Nueva
Suite #103
San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (210) 335-2581
Additionally, the Bexar Central Appraisal District (BCAD) maintains an online database and interactive map with which interested persons can find property ownership, valuation, and other related information. Individuals can also find a property search tool on Bexar County's Tax Assessor-Collector's Property Tax Information page.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Bexar County
To look up a property owner in Bexar County, individuals can access the Bexar County Clerk's Official Records Search portal. By inputting the individual or business's name into the available search field, one can pull up all recorded documents related to the search subject.
As mentioned, the Bexar Central Appraisal District also has a Property Search tool available to the public. This system can also be used to look up properties attached to someone's name. BCAD's Property Search system can be accessed in the following manner:
- Visit Bexar CAD's Property Search website.
- Input a property owner's name, property or geographic ID, property address, or the DBA (Doing Business As) name into the search box.
- Choose a tax year, and click the search button.
Interested persons may contact/visit the clerk's office or appraisal district for property owner lookups in Bexar County.
How to Find Bexar County Property Records Online
As mentioned, the Bexar County Clerk's Office, Tax Assessor-Collector's Office, and Appraisal District all have property records search tools online. These tools furnish users with useful information about properties in the county.
Even so, members of the public can access third-party aggregate sites for this purpose. Certain third-party websites provide free property searches to persons wanting to find Bexar County or other county property records online. Meanwhile, others require upfront payment or a subscription to release the records.
It should be noted that while one may find comprehensive property records on a third-party site, it is still important to check the information obtained for accuracy with the designated county offices.
How to Find Property Owner by Address Free
A property owner by address search in Bexar County follows the same process as a property owner lookup. Inquirers can utilize the appraisal district's designated public search tool. Here's a quick guide to follow:
- Visit BCAD's Property Search website
- In the search field, input a partial or complete property address
- Select the tax year
- Click the search button
Alternatively, one can use the Tax Assessor-Collector's property tax search tool to find a property owner by address. Here's how:
- Go to the Tax Assessor-Collector's Property Tax Information page
- Select "Property Tax Search" from the left menu
- Under the "Type of Search" dropdown menu, select Property Address or Street Number (if known)
- Click "Search".
In either case, the system returns the owner linked to the property address. There is no charge for the search.
Bexar County Property Tax Lookup
Before buying or bidding on a piece of property, it is of utmost importance that one carries out a property tax lookup. Performing a property tax lookup can help the owner or prospective buyer determine a property's taxable value and know the tax advantages or implications of the property.
To perform a property tax lookup in Bexar County, visit the Tax Assessor-Collector's Property Tax Search website. The search can be carried out with the following keywords (this is the same if contacting or visiting the office for a property tax lookup):
- Property owner's name
- Property address
- Street number
- Account number
- CAD reference number
- Fiduciary number
The property tax information the system returns includes:
- Account number
- Owner's name and address
- Property site address
- Legal description
- Current year tax levy
- Current and prior
- Total market value
- Land value
- Improvement value
- Capped value
- Agricultural value
- Tax exemptions
- Last taxpayer
- History of property tax payments
Below is the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector's contact information for property tax inquiries:
Physical Location
Vista Verde Plaza Building
233 N. Pecos La Trinidad
San Antonio, TX 78207
Phone: (210) 335-2251
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 839950
San Antonio, TX 78283
How to Find Bexar County Property Appraiser
Property owners or prospective buyers often require the services of a Bexar County property appraiser, especially when trying to sell or buy property. A property appraiser is a licensed professional that inspects and analyzes a property to determine its fair market value.
One can find a Bexar County property appraiser using the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB) License Holder Search portal. This agency is responsible for certifying property appraisers in the state and, as such, maintains records on these professionals for all counties.
Bexar County Property Assessor
The Bexar Central Appraisal District (BCAD) serves as the local property assessor for Bexar County. The office's role includes:
- Assessing the value of all real and business personal property in the county
- Maintaining assessment records on property
- Determining the current and future taxable value of property
- Determining property tax exemptions
Below is BCAD's contact information:
Physical Address
411 North Frio Street
San Antonio, TX 78207
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 830248
San Antonio, TX 78283
Phone: (210) 224-2432
Fax: (210) 242-2454
Email: cs@bcad.org
It is worth noting that Bexar Appraisal District (BCAD) is not responsible for collecting taxes and operates differently from the Tax Assessor-Collector's office.
