Ask Allen

Ask Allen: Texas real estate questions, answered

Plain answers to the questions buyers and sellers ask across greater Houston, written by Allen Markel, REALTOR®, with Texas Premier Realty. Where a number is used, its source is shown.

62 questions answered

Places
How much are property taxes in Cypress, TX?
The median total property-tax rate on Cypress homes for sale is 2.63% of taxable value, measured on the 1,055 of 1,326 active listings where we hold a complete 2025 tax stack.
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Places
How much of a Cypress tax bill is MUD, school, county and flood-control tax?
For a typical Cypress home in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD with a MUD, the 2025 rate stack is about 2.66% in total.
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Places
Which MUDs serve Cypress and how do their tax rates compare?
Cypress homes for sale sit in dozens of districts, and the ten most common combinations range from $0.37 to $1.50 per $100 of value.
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Places
Does Cypress flood?
Parts of Cypress are in a mapped FEMA flood hazard area and parts are not. Checking the location of every active Cypress listing against the FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, 205 of 1,326 homes for…
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Places
Do I need flood insurance in Cypress if my house is outside the mapped floodplain?
Federal rules require flood insurance when a federally backed or regulated lender finances a home inside a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area.
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Places
How much are HOA fees in Cypress?
Nearly every Cypress listing carries HOA dues: 1,276 of 1,326 active homes (96%) show a fee, and the median is $1,200 a year, about $100 a month.
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Places
What is the median home price in Cypress right now?
The median sale price of Cypress homes that closed in the last six months (March 25 to September 25, 2026) is $420,860, based on 1,919 sales, or about $170 per square foot.
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Places
Are home prices in Cypress going up or down?
Flat to slightly down. The median sale price for the last 12 months is $411,665, which is 2.0% below the $420,000 median for the 12 months before it, while median price per square foot has held near…
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Places
How long does a house take to sell in Cypress?
Half of the Cypress homes that sold in the last 12 months went under contract within 33 days of listing, and 48% did so within 30 days. About 68% sold within 60 days and 19% took more than 90.
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Places
How many homes are for sale in Cypress and in which price bands?
About 1,330 homes are for sale in Cypress. By list price, 125 are under $300,000, 665 are from $300,000 to $500,000, 344 are from $500,000 to $750,000 and 197 are above $750,000, so half of all…
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Places
How do I find which school a Cypress address is zoned to?
Use the school district's own address lookup, then confirm by phone before you write an offer.
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Places
Which builders are selling new homes in Cypress right now?
Of the 1,326 homes now listed in Cypress, 385 (29%) are new construction. The builders with the most active Cypress listings are David Weekley Homes (60), Taylor Morrison (57), Perry Homes (39), Tri…
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Places
How long is the commute from Cypress to downtown Houston?
Modeled drive time from a Cypress home to downtown Houston averages 39 minutes off-peak and about 44 minutes at the evening rush, based on 1,276 active Cypress listings.
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Places
What does it cost per month to own a house in Cypress, taxes and HOA included?
There is no single monthly number for Cypress, because taxes and MUD lines differ by address.
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Places
Cypress vs Katy: how do taxes, HOA dues and prices compare?
Cypress homes cost more and carry a higher tax rate. The six-month median sale price is $420,860 in Cypress and $350,000 in Katy, or about $170 versus $160 per square foot.
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Places
Is Cypress in Harris County, and why does the county matter to my tax bill?
Yes. 1,325 of 1,326 active Cypress listings are in Harris County, and the county drives a large part of the bill.
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Places
What is a PID and do any Cypress neighborhoods have one?
A public improvement district (PID) is a special area where the city or county levies assessments on property owners to pay for improvements such as roads, water lines or landscaping, under Texas…
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Places
Which Cypress subdivisions have the lowest and highest total tax rates?
Among Cypress subdivisions with at least five active listings and a complete 2025 tax stack, the lowest median total rates are Lakes of Fairhaven at 2.00% (no MUD line), Cypress Chase at 2.17% and…
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Places
How do I check the flood zone of a specific Cypress address?
Enter the address in the FEMA Map Service Center flood map search at msc.fema.gov, which returns the flood zone, panel number and effective date. Each listing on this site also shows the FEMA zone.
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Places
What does the Harris County Flood Control District add to a Cypress tax bill?
The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) charged $0.04966 per $100 of taxable value for 2025, which is about $209 a year on a $421,000 Cypress home, or 1.9% of the total rate. The rate was $0.
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Places
How many parks, grocery stores and hospitals are in Cypress?
Within the area covered by Cypress listings (roughly 14 by 15 miles), our place data lists 107 parks, 89 grocery stores and 7 hospitals, plus 7 emergency rooms, 26 pharmacies, 3 libraries, 49 banks,…
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Selling
Should we sell before or after the divorce is final?
Every situation is different. I lean toward selling before it is final, and your attorney advises on timing. Both paths are used.
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Selling
Can I keep the house and buy out my spouse?
Often yes, but it takes both a legal document and financing. In a divorce the court divides the estate as it deems just and right, and a spouse who keeps the homestead can owe the other spouse an…
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Selling
How do two owners who disagree choose one listing agent and one price?
Start with the same facts. Both owners review the same market analysis, agree in writing on a price range, an agent, and a list of the terms, and sign the listing together.
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Places
How are property taxes calculated in Harris County?
A Harris County tax bill is taxable value times each taxing unit's rate, added across the units that cover the address.
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Places
What taxing units make up a Harris County tax bill and what does each charge?
A Harris County bill stacks up to seven kinds of taxing unit. For 2025 the county levies $0.38096 per $100, the hospital district $0.18761, flood control $0.04966, the Port of Houston Authority…
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Places
How do I file a homestead exemption in Harris County?
File a residence homestead application with the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD), which accepts it electronically through its mobile app.
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Places
How do I protest my property taxes in Harris County, and what is the deadline?
You can protest your appraised value with the Harris Central Appraisal District. The deadline is May 15, or 30 days after the notice of appraised value is delivered, whichever is later, under Texas…
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Places
Are Harris County property taxes frozen at age 65?
Only school district taxes, and only for a homeowner who receives the age-65-or-older homestead exemption or the matching exemption for owners who qualify through Social Security Disability Insurance.
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Places
Are property taxes paid in arrears in Harris County?
Yes. Texas property tax is billed after the year ends: the bill for a calendar year goes out in October or November of that year, is due when received, and becomes delinquent after January 31 of the…
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Places
Does Harris County flood?
Parts of Harris County flood and most homes are outside the mapped hazard area. Of 20,471 active Harris County listings, 1,918 (9.4%) are in a FEMA flood zone that is a Special Flood Hazard Area…
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Places
What does the Harris County Flood Control District tax fund?
The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) tax, $0.04966 per $100 of taxable value in 2025, funds county-wide flood damage reduction: channel and stormwater basin maintenance, drainage and…
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Places
What is the median home price in Harris County?
The median sale price of Harris County homes that closed in the last six months (March 25 to September 25, 2026) is $320,000, based on 24,369 sales, at a median of about $156 per square foot.
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Places
Are home prices in Harris County going up or down?
Flat to slightly down. The Harris County median sale price for the last 12 months is $315,000, which is 2.2% below the $322,046 median for the 12 months before it.
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Places
How much inventory does Harris County have and how fast is it selling?
Harris County has about 20,475 homes for sale and 5.0 months of inventory, a balanced level. Half of the homes that sold in the last 12 months went under contract within 29 days of listing.
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Places
Which cities and communities are in Harris County?
Our Harris County page covers 15 cities: Houston, Katy, Cypress, Spring, Tomball, Humble, Hockley, Baytown, Crosby, Pasadena, Huffman, Waller, La Porte, Seabrook and Kingwood.
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Places
Which Harris County cities have the lowest and highest tax rates?
Among MLS city labels with at least 40 active listings and a complete 2025 tax stack, the lowest median total rates are Webster at 1.97%, Bellaire at 2.02% and Channelview at 2.04%, and the highest…
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Places
Harris County vs Fort Bend County: how do taxes and prices compare?
Fort Bend County homes cost more and carry a slightly higher tax rate. The six-month median sale price is $389,000 in Fort Bend and $320,000 in Harris, or $165 versus $156 per square foot.
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Places
What over-65, Social Security Disability Insurance and disabled veteran exemptions can Harris County owners claim?
Texas requires school districts to give an additional $60,000 homestead exemption to a homeowner who is 65 or older or who qualifies through Social Security Disability Insurance (Tax Code 11.13(c)),…
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Places
How do I look up and pay a Harris County property tax bill?
Look up a bill at the Harris County Tax Office website, hctax.net, by account number, address or owner name, and pay online, by mail or in person.
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Places
How do I look up a MUD tax rate in Harris County?
Find your MUD on the HCAD account page, which lists every taxing unit for the address, then read its rate on the Harris County Tax Office bill search or on the district's own tax rate notice.
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Places
How much are HOA dues in Harris County?
Across Harris County, 73% of active listings (14,989 of 20,471) show HOA dues, and the median is $975 a year, with the middle half between $520 and $1,895.
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General
What is an option period in Texas and how long should mine be?
In Texas the option period is something the buyer pays for. Under Paragraph 5 of the TREC resale contract, the buyer pays an option fee in addition to the earnest money, and both are due within three…
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General
How long does it take to close on a house in Texas?
The closing date in a Texas contract is a negotiated date, not a fixed rule. Paragraph 9A of the TREC resale contract says closing is on or before the date written in the contract, or within 7 days…
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General
Do I need an attorney to buy or sell a house in Texas?
No. An attorney is not required to buy or sell a home in Texas. Texas real estate agents use contract forms promulgated by the Texas Real Estate Commission, and the title company acts as escrow agent…
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General
What does a title company do and who picks it?
A Texas title company is a neutral party. It does not work for the buyer, the seller or either agent; it searches title, issues the title insurance, holds the earnest money, closes the sale and…
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General
Does a buyer's agent cost me money now that the rules changed?
The rule change did not create a new cost; it changed when the conversation happens.
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General
What is a MUD and how much does it add to my tax bill?
A MUD, or municipal utility district, is a special taxing district that provides water, sewer, drainage or flood-control facilities and pays for them with bonds repaid from taxes on the property in…
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General
Is now a good time to buy a house in Houston?
It is the right time when you are able, ready and willing, and the exception is a stay of only one or two years. No market number decides it for you. What the data can show is the current picture.
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General
What is the Texas homestead exemption and how much does it save?
The residence homestead exemption removes part of your home's value from taxation. Under Texas Tax Code Sec.
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General
Should I sell my house before I buy the next one in Texas?
It depends on your risk tolerance and your financing, and there are three common paths.
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Schools
What is the Cy-Fair ISD tax rate and how much of my bill is school tax?
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD's 2025 tax rate is $1.0669 per $100 of taxable value, down from $1.0869 in 2024.
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Schools
Which cities and subdivisions does Cy-Fair ISD cover?
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD covers about 189 square miles in northwest Harris County. Of the 2,267 homes for sale inside the boundary on our September 16 page, 1,087 have a Cypress mailing address, 919…
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Schools
How many students and campuses does Cy-Fair ISD have?
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD enrolled about 114,697 students in October 2025 (TEA) and lists 94 campuses: 59 elementary, 20 middle, 12 high school and 3 alternative or disciplinary campuses.
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Schools
Do school ratings affect what homes sell for in Cy-Fair ISD?
In our sales data, prices differ by the rating of the zoned elementary campus, but the difference mixes rating with home size and age.
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Selling
Can I sell an inherited house in Texas before probate is finished?
Usually not, until the court has determined who can sign. The title company will not insure a sale without that.
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Selling
How do I sell a house when the owner died without a will?
When someone dies without a will, Texas law decides who inherits, and the house passes to the heirs at law when the person dies, subject to the estate's debts (Estates Code Secs. 101.001(b), 101.051).
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Selling
Do all the heirs have to agree before the house can be sold?
It depends on whether there is an executor with authority to sell. If an independent executor has a power of sale, the signature of an heir or devisee is not necessary for a good-faith purchaser to…
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Schools
How many students attend Adam Elementary?
About 957 students attend Adam Elementary, according to the Texas Education Agency's 2024-25 report (TAPR), in grades EE through 5.
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Schools
Which middle and high schools do Adam Elementary students feed into?
By the district's official 2025-2026 zones, the whole Adam Elementary zone lies inside the Arnold Middle School zone and the Cy-Fair High School zone.
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Schools
How do I confirm a house is zoned to Adam Elementary before I make an offer?
Enter the street address in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD's 'Find your Zoned School' tool at cfisd.net and confirm by phone ((281) 897-4013 or (281) 517-2187) or in writing before you offer.
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Schools
What have homes zoned to Adam Elementary sold for recently?
Detached and attached homes inside Adam Elementary's official 2025-2026 zone sold for a median $295,000 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026), based on 124 closed sales.
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Answers describe transactions and public data. They are not legal, tax or financial advice.