# Sell My House Fast in Houston: As-Is or Inherited

Plain-text version of https://htxsellmyhouse.com/ for AI assistants and anyone who prefers text. It carries the same facts as the page for people. Every figure names its source and the date it was read.

## The question this page answers

How do I sell my house fast in Houston as-is, without repairs?

## TL;DR

Tell us the address and what is wrong with the house. HTX Sell My House either buys it as it stands or takes it to the builders for you, and you see the buyer's name in writing before you sign (HTX Sell My House, 2026-10-14). If a listing would net you more, we tell you so.

- First call: within one business day, from Susan or Alex (HTX Sell My House policy, 2026-10-14)
- Cost to talk to us: nothing (HTX Sell My House, 2026-10-14)
- Where we buy: 12 ZIP codes inside and just outside the Loop (HTX Sell My House service area, set 2026-10-14)
- Median HCAD land value: $24 to $150 per square foot, from 77080 to 77005 (HCAD 2026 certified roll dated 2026-10-18, computed 2026-10-21)

## The answer

To sell your house fast in Houston as it stands, HTX Sell My House, owned by Susan and Alex Bouchard of Houston, gives you two ways: we buy it, or we take it to the builders for you and you get the best of their offers. If a listing would net you more, we tell you so.

## Key facts

- **12** ZIP codes inside and just outside the Loop are where we work (HTX Sell My House service area, set 2026-10-14).
- **21,417** parcels in those ZIP codes fit the pattern a builder buys: a house built in 1975 or earlier worth at most 40 percent of its land, on a lot of 4,500 to 20,000 square feet, with no permit since 2022 (HCAD 2026 certified roll dated 2026-10-18, computed 2026-10-21).
- **$24 to $150** per square foot is the range of median HCAD land values across those ZIP codes, from 77080 to 77005 (HCAD 2026 certified roll dated 2026-10-18, computed 2026-10-21).

## Two ways to sell my house fast in Houston

You choose how the sale goes. There are two ways, and a third that is not us.

**We buy it.** HTX Sell My House makes you an offer and closes the sale itself.

**We take it to the builders for you.** We use HCAD lot and land-value records for a first look, then check the City's minimum-lot-size and historic maps for possible restrictions (HCAD 2026 roll and City of Houston Planning layers, read 2026-10-13). That helps us identify possible builder fit. Public records alone do not confirm what can be built on your particular lot. Your deed, a survey and review by a title company or your attorney are still needed for lot-specific questions. If a builder makes an offer, you see the buyer's name in writing before you sign. You can also contact builders yourself.

**You list it or sell another way.** If a listing agent would net you more, we say so and you do not need us. Get more than one number before you decide.

The price in either case depends on the lot as much as the house. That is why this site shows what the public record says about land value, lot size and restrictions, with a source and a date beside each figure. We are not your real estate agent and we are not attorneys.

## The cost of waiting to sell your house in Houston

Property taxes and insurance keep running while a house waits to sell. These are the public figures.

- **6 percent penalty plus 1 percent interest** is added when Texas property taxes go delinquent on February 1 (Texas Comptroller, read 2026-10-14).
- **12 percent** is the penalty from July 1, and a collection attorney can add up to 20 percent (Texas Comptroller, read 2026-10-14).
- **12 to 36 months** is the length of Harris County payment plans for delinquent taxes (Harris County Tax Office, read 2026-10-14).
- **60 days** vacant is the point at which many homeowner policies stop covering the house itself, though liability cover often continues (Texas Department of Insurance guide, last updated 2026-06-01, read 2026-10-14).

## We buy houses in Houston: which houses and which ZIP codes

We work in twelve ZIP codes. The neighborhood names beside each one are the main areas inside it (HTX Sell My House service area, set 2026-10-14).

- **77006:** Montrose, Hyde Park, Cherryhurst
- **77019:** River Oaks fringe, Montrose west, Hyde Park
- **77098:** Upper Kirby, Southampton north, Cherryhurst west
- **77005:** Southampton, the West University Place edge, Rice
- **77007:** Rice Military, Jackson Hill, Cottage Grove
- **77008:** Houston Heights, Timbergrove, Shady Acres
- **77009:** Sunset Heights, Woodland Heights, Lindale, Brooke Smith
- **77018:** Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Independence Heights, Shepherd Park
- **77024:** Memorial, the Memorial Villages, south Spring Branch
- **77055:** Spring Branch, including Timbercreek, Shadyvilla, Monarch Oaks and Spring Branch Oaks
- **77080:** west Spring Branch
- **77401:** Bellaire

West University Place and Bellaire are separate cities with their own zoning, so ask the city before you assume what can be built there.

We look for an old house on a lot a builder wants. That means a house on a lot of 4,500 to 20,000 square feet whose land is worth more than the house (HCAD 2026 roll, read 2026-10-13). Our [teardown page](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/sell-a-teardown-lot-houston/) shows the public land values by ZIP code, and eight neighborhood pages show them by subdivision: [Houston Heights](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/neighborhoods/houston-heights/), [Sunset Heights](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/neighborhoods/sunset-heights/), [Studes](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/neighborhoods/studes/), [Hyde Park Main](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/neighborhoods/hyde-park-main/), [Winlow Place](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/neighborhoods/winlow-place/), [Lancaster Place Extension](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/neighborhoods/lancaster-place-extn/), [Alden Place](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/neighborhoods/alden-place/) and [Montrose](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/neighborhoods/montrose/).

Some lots are restricted. A lot in a City historic district, inside a City minimum-lot-size block, or under a deed that bars townhomes is a different buyer and a different price. Those houses often go to someone who will renovate rather than tear down. We work with those buyers too. A restricted lot is not a lost cause.

## Seven reasons to sell your house in Houston

Owners reach us for one of seven reasons. Each paragraph below says what the public record shows and what we ask you for.

**You inherited the house.** A house that passes by will or by law is not always ready to sell. The Harris County Clerk's small-estate affidavit form reaches real estate only when it is the decedent's homestead passing to a surviving spouse or minor children (Harris County Clerk Form I-02-22, revised 2022-01-03, read 2026-10-14). Probate Court No. 1 alone took 2,401 new or reopened cases between 2024-03-01 and 2025-02-28 (Judge Jerry Simoneaux's report, dated 2025-03-11). If there was no will, [selling an inherited house with an affidavit of heirship](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/affidavit-of-heirship-texas/) explains when a title company may accept one, the Harris County recording steps and the court routes. [Selling an inherited house in Houston](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/sell-inherited-house-houston/) covers who buys as-is, selling during probate, siblings who disagree and heirs out of state. Tell us where the estate stands. A probate attorney, not us, tells you what you must file, and the title company decides which papers it needs.

**The house needs more work than it is worth.** A roof, a foundation or old plumbing can cost more than it adds to the price. A buyer who wants the land prices the house differently from a buyer who will live in it. Texas regulators note that an insurer may decline to renew a policy when a house is in bad condition (Texas Department of Insurance guide, last updated 2026-06-01, read 2026-10-14). We have no official Houston figure for repair costs, so get written bids before you decide.

**You owe back taxes or got a code notice.** Texas adds a 6 percent penalty plus 1 percent interest on delinquent taxes. The penalty then grows 1 percent a month and becomes 12 percent on July 1, while interest runs 1 percent a month with no maximum (Texas Comptroller, read 2026-10-14). Harris County holds a delinquent tax sale on the first Tuesday of every month (Harris County Tax Office, read 2026-10-13). A county payment plan of 12 to 36 months is an option that is not us (Harris County Tax Office, read 2026-10-14). If the City sent a dangerous-building or code notice, tell us the date on it.

**A divorce or a change in the family.** A house often has to sell on a date set by a court, a lawyer or a lender, not by you. Tell us the date and we say plainly whether a sale by then is realistic. Your attorney decides what an order requires.

**You moved away, or you are done being a landlord.** We speak with owners of tenant-occupied houses and owners who live out of town. Tell us the lease dates and who holds the keys.

**You own a lot, or a house that is worth only the land.** Inside the Loop the land often carries the value. HCAD's median land value runs from $24 per square foot in 77080 to $150 in 77005 (HCAD 2026 certified roll dated 2026-10-18, computed 2026-10-21). An appraisal is not a price. Read [what your lot is worth and who buys it](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/sell-a-teardown-lot-houston/).

**Something else.** A foreclosure, a fire, a flood, a tenant who will not leave, a house nobody has lived in for years. Send the address and say what is going on. If a lender has set a sale date, give us that date first.

## Cash home buyers in Houston vs listing or waiting: what each route costs

Every route to a sale costs something. Some costs have an official number. Most do not, and we say so.

**Holding the house while it sells.** Property taxes keep running. Harris County's 2025 rate is 0.38096 percent of taxable value and Houston ISD's is 0.8783 percent (Harris County Tax Office rates page, read 2026-10-14). The City of Houston proposed 0.519190 percent for 2025 (City of Houston tax rate notice, read 2026-10-14). Your bill adds other districts. Insurance is a cost too: many homeowner policies stop covering a house that sits vacant 60 days or more, and the Texas FAIR Plan or surplus-lines cover that remains costs more than standard cover (Texas Department of Insurance guide, last updated 2026-06-01, read 2026-10-14).

**Listing with an agent.** Commission is set in the listing agreement and varies, so ask each agent for the number in writing. Add repairs a buyer asks for, and closing costs. Title insurance premiums follow a basic premium rate schedule published by the Texas Department of Insurance (Basic Manual of Title Insurance, Rate Rule R-1, read 2026-10-14). Ask the title company for the premium at your price and ask who pays it under your contract.

**A quick online offer.** Online instant-offer companies state their service fees and repair deductions in their own terms. The amounts vary by company, house and date. Read the terms and compare what you would net.

**A cash offer from an investor.** Cash offers vary widely from buyer to buyer. Ours is one number among several. Get at least two numbers, including one from a listing agent, before you sign anything with us or with anyone.

**Doing nothing.** The cheapest-looking choice has a bill: taxes, penalties after February 1 (Texas Comptroller, read 2026-10-14), insurance and the wear on an empty house.

## Sell your house fast to us: what happens after you send the form

1. A person calls you within one business day. It is Susan or Alex.
2. We ask about the house, the dates that matter and what you want. You do not have to say yes to anything on the call.
3. We tell you which way a sale could go, and what we cannot tell without more facts.
4. We do not forward your details to any builder or buyer automatically. A person decides, and we ask you first.
5. If you are better off listing, we say so and explain why. If your house is outside our twelve ZIP codes, we say that too and point you to an option.

To talk before you send anything, call [(346) 752-6836](tel:+13467526836). An assistant answers for Susan and Alex and puts you through to one of them, or takes your details so one of them can call you back.

See the [privacy page](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/privacy/) for what we keep and for how long.

## Terms used when you sell a house in Houston

- **HCAD:** the Harris Central Appraisal District, the county office that appraises every property for tax.
- **Appraisal value:** the figure HCAD sets for tax. It is not a sale price.
- **Teardown:** an old house bought mainly for its land, then replaced.
- **Special Minimum Lot Size:** a City of Houston designation that prevents lots on a block from being divided below a set size.
- **Historic district:** an area the City has designated, where altering or demolishing a landmark or a structure in the district needs City approval.
- **Deed restrictions:** private rules recorded against a lot or subdivision, separate from City rules.
- **Delinquent tax:** property tax not paid by February 1 (Texas Comptroller, read 2026-10-14).
- **Probate:** the court process that settles a person's estate, including who receives the house. A probate attorney tells you what to file.
- **Small-estate affidavit:** a sworn form the Harris County Clerk publishes for certain small estates (Harris County Clerk Form I-02-22, revised 2022-01-03, read 2026-10-14).

## Questions people ask about selling a house in Houston

### Do you buy houses in Houston as-is, without repairs?

You do not need to repair the house first: no repair is needed to get a number from HTX Sell My House. Tell us what is wrong with the house, and we say whether a buyer will take it as it stands.

### How fast can I sell my house in Houston?

The closing date comes from the title work, any probate, any lender and you. HTX Sell My House calls within one business day and gives you a realistic date, not a promise.

### Are you my real estate agent, and does it cost anything to talk to you?

HTX Sell My House is not your agent, and it costs you nothing to talk to us or to get a number. We do not list your house. You see the buyer's name in writing before you sign.

### Should I sell my house to a cash home buyer in Houston or list it?

Get at least two numbers, including one from a listing agent, before you sign anything with anyone. Commission, repair requests and closing costs come out of a listing, and online instant-offer companies state their own service fees and repair deductions in their terms. If a listing would net you more, HTX Sell My House says so.

### What if my Houston house is in a historic district or has deed restrictions?

That makes it a different buyer and a different price, not a no. Read how [restrictions affect a lot](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/sell-a-teardown-lot-houston/) and tell us your address.

### What is a house worth mainly for its land, and who buys one in Houston?

A teardown is an old house bought mainly for its land, then replaced. In our twelve ZIP codes, 21,417 parcels fit the pattern a builder buys (HCAD 2026 certified roll dated 2026-10-18, computed 2026-10-21). A house in a historic district or on a restricted lot often goes to someone who will renovate instead.

### How much is my Houston lot worth?

HCAD's median land value runs from $24 per square foot in 77080 to $150 in 77005 (HCAD 2026 certified roll dated 2026-10-18, computed 2026-10-21). That is a tax appraisal, not a price. Your lot's size, restrictions and flood history set what a buyer pays.

### Can I sell an inherited house in Houston without probate?

Sometimes. The Harris County Clerk's small-estate affidavit form reaches real estate only when it is the decedent's homestead passing to a surviving spouse or minor children (Harris County Clerk Form I-02-22, revised 2022-01-03, read 2026-10-14). When there is no will, an affidavit of heirship may be enough if the title company accepts it; our [affidavit of heirship page](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/affidavit-of-heirship-texas/) compares it with muniment of title and probate, and [selling an inherited house in Houston](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/sell-inherited-house-houston/) covers selling while probate is pending. A probate attorney, not HTX Sell My House, tells you what you must file.

### What happens if I stop paying property taxes on a Harris County house?

Texas adds a 6 percent penalty plus 1 percent interest once the tax is delinquent on February 1, and the penalty becomes 12 percent on July 1 (Texas Comptroller, read 2026-10-14). The county offers payment plans of 12 to 36 months (Harris County Tax Office, read 2026-10-14). Compare a plan with a sale, and tell us the dates early.

### Does homeowner insurance cover a vacant house in Texas?

Many policies stop covering the house itself after 60 days vacant, though liability cover often continues (Texas Department of Insurance guide, last updated 2026-06-01, read 2026-10-14). Ask your insurer in writing what your policy says.

### What happens to the information I send?

It goes to Susan and Alex. We contact you only about your property, and we do not sell your data. The [privacy page](https://htxsellmyhouse.com/privacy/) has the details.

## Sources

- [HCAD public data downloads](https://hcad.org/pdata/pdata-property-downloads.html), 2026 certified roll dated 2026-10-11, read 2026-10-13
- [HCAD public data downloads](https://hcad.org/pdata/pdata-property-downloads.html), 2026 certified roll dated 2026-10-18 (the parcel count and the land-value range), read and computed 2026-10-21
- [Texas Comptroller, paying property taxes](https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/pay/), read 2026-10-14
- [Harris County Tax Office, jurisdiction tax rates](https://www.hctax.net/property/jurisdictiontaxrates), read 2026-10-14
- [Harris County Tax Office, installment payment agreements](https://www.hctax.net/Property/PropertyInstallment), read 2026-10-14
- [Harris County Tax Office, delinquent tax sale listing](https://www.hctax.net/Property/listings/taxsalelisting), read 2026-10-13
- [City of Houston, 2025 tax rate notice](https://www.houstontx.gov/2025-tax-rate/TY25-Notice-Meeting-Vote-Tax-Rate.pdf), read 2026-10-14
- [Texas Department of Insurance, home insurance guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb025.html), last updated 2026-06-01, read 2026-10-14
- [Texas Department of Insurance, Basic Manual of Title Insurance, Section III rate rules](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/title/titlem3a.html), read 2026-10-14
- [Harris County Clerk, small estate affidavit Form I-02-22](https://www.cclerk.hctx.net/Forms/Uploads/I/I0222.pdf), revised 2022-01-03, read 2026-10-14
- [Judge Jerry Simoneaux, Harris County Probate Court No. 1 performance statistics](https://jsimoneaux.substack.com/p/harris-county-probate-court-no-1), dated 2025-03-11, read 2026-10-13
- [City of Houston Planning, Minimum Lot Size and Minimum Building Line program](https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Min-Lot_Size-Min_Bldg_Line.html), read 2026-10-14
- [City of Houston, Certificate of Appropriateness](https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/HistoricPres/certofapp.html), read 2026-10-14

## About this page

- Page for people: https://htxsellmyhouse.com/
- Written by Susan Bouchard, co-owner, HTX Sell My House
- Last updated: 2026-10-21
- HTX Sell My House, Houston, Texas. Owned by Susan Bouchard and Alex Bouchard.
- Phone: (346) 752-6836. Email: hello@htxsellmyhouse.com
- Send the address of a property: https://htxsellmyhouse.com/#sell-form