New Water Laws Effective September 1, 2025

Texas Take Note:  The following water-related bills were passed by the 89th Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Abbott. They become law on September 1, 2025.  Senate Bill 7 -- the major water infrastructure bill -- expands the scope of the Texas Water...

Texas May Require New Disclosure Form to Record Deeds

Proposed Texas Law Would Require New Disclosure Form to Record Real Estate Transfers By Trey Wilson, San Antonio Real Estate Attorney and Texas Water Lawyer A new bill filed in the Texas House by Representative Holt —House Bill 285—could significantly change the...

New Law Changes How Texas Agents Represent Buyers

New Law Changes the Rules for Real Estate Agents Representing Buyers in Texas By Trey Wilson, San Antonio Real Estate Attorney and Texas Water Lawyer   Starting January 1, 2026, a new Texas law—Senate Bill 1968—will significantly change the way real estate agents...

East Texas Rep files Flurry of Anti-Groundwater Exporter Bills

  On July 28, 2025 Rep. Cody Harris, the Palestine-based representative of Texas House District 8 filed four bills that collectively seek to invoke huge changes to the way that groundwater is permitted in Texas.  The bills -- sequentially numbered HB 215, HB 216,...

Buying Foreclosure Property Can be Perilous

Buying property at a foreclosure sale can undoubtedly present a savvy buyer with tremendous opportunity for profit.  Death, disability, divorce, job loss, and financial woes are the frequent companions of (or precursors to) foreclosure of real estate. Sometimes, the...

read more
Celebrating Another Court Victory for Our Client

Celebrating Another Court Victory for Our Client

JURY FINDS IN FAVOR OF OUR DEFENDANT-CLIENT IN LAWSUIT OVER VEHICLE REPOSSESSION This week we are celebrating a defense jury verdict reached on behalf of our client SFM MOTORS, INC. ("SFM").  The verdict came following 2 1/2 days of jury trial in a four-year-old...

read more

Real Estate Pros Must Disclose Self-Dealing

It is no secret that Texas real estate professionals (brokers, agents, etc.) are frequently principals in real estate transactions. That is, real estate brokers and agents -- like other people -- act as Sellers or Buyers of property in which they have an ownership or...

read more
Texas AG Website Summarizes Platting Laws

Texas AG Website Summarizes Platting Laws

My last post discussed the disasterous results of an illegal subdivision located in Caldwell County.  The failure of the developer to comply with platting laws or obtain County approval of the Century Oaks subdivision (combined with County inaction) resulted in many...

read more

Illegal Subdivision Causes Nightmare for Many

Unplatted Subdivision Reveals Problems Associated with Contracts for Deed and Limited Land Use Oversight. The Austin American Statesman recently published a series of articles that cast a chilling light on what happens when a landowner-turned-real-estate-developer...

read more
Buying or Selling Real Estate? Hire Me

Buying or Selling Real Estate? Hire Me

TREY WILSON CAN LIST YOUR PROPERTY FOR SALE OR REPRESENT YOU AS THE BUYER OF RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IN TEXAS. In addition to being an experienced real estate attorney, Trey Wilson is also a real estate salesperson licensed by the Texas Real Estate...

read more
The Case Against Property Manager Liability to Tenants

The Case Against Property Manager Liability to Tenants

We are often called upon to defend suits filed by tenants against managers of residential rental properties.  These suits generally arise from disputes over security  deposit refunds and/or unfulfilled repair requests. Sometimes the owner/landlord is also joined in...

read more
Did you Know? Title Defects

Did you Know? Title Defects

 Did You Know that a title defect is a condition of land or its surrounding circumstances that invalidates, diminishes or negatively impacts real estate ownership in some way? Common examples of title defects in Texas real estate applications include the following:...

read more
BUYING OR SELLING A HOME? YOU NEED A LAWYER

BUYING OR SELLING A HOME? YOU NEED A LAWYER

5 REASONS YOU NEED A LAWYER WHEN BUYING OR SELLING A HOME IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS If you are concerned with the ability of your realtor to comprehensively serve your needs in selling your home, you are not alone. Many sellers of residential real estate discover too late...

read more
Served With a Lawsuit Over Real Estate? Don’t Panic

Served With a Lawsuit Over Real Estate? Don’t Panic

Getting served with a lawsuit -- especially the first time -- can be overwhelming and stressful. We typically ask new clients about the emotions they feel after being served with legal papers, and range is broad, but consistent.  Fear, Concern and Anger top the list...

read more
Post-Foreclosure Eviction Notice to Tenant

Post-Foreclosure Eviction Notice to Tenant

Our office routinely represents real estate investors and others who purchase residential properties at foreclosure sales.  These sales are most commonly conducted by the Trustee for for a lien holder -- typically the mortgage lender to an owner who has defaulted in...

read more
4 Things Real Estate Lawyers Do That Agents Can’t

4 Things Real Estate Lawyers Do That Agents Can’t

It may seem obvious that the job and role of a real estate agent and that of a real estate attorney are very distinct when buying or selling property; however, many times buyers and sellers are confused about the limitations of a real estate professional, and end up...

read more
State Law Library Maintains HOA Research Page

State Law Library Maintains HOA Research Page

Did you know that the State of Texas hosts an online guide to homeowners'  association/ property owners'  association law to assist pro se litigants and others? The Texas State Law Library reference librarians have done an excellent job of compiling legal research...

read more

5 Deed Requirements in Texas

In Texas, "instruments concerning property" (also known as "deeds") may be properly recorded with the County Clerk in which the real property/real estate is located only if they contain certain elements. Although deeds may differ in appearance and specific...

read more
Appeals Court Victory for Our Investor Client!

Appeals Court Victory for Our Investor Client!

We are proud to announce that we secured an appellate victory for our client, Loft Concepts, Inc. ("LCI"), in an opinion released on May 25, 2016 by the Fourth Court of Appeals located in San Antonio, Texas. The case involved a post-foreclosure eviction that worked...

read more

5 FAQs for Landlords Facing Eviction Appeals

Landlords who prevail in eviction cases filed in Justice Courts often have short-lived celebrations. With increasing frequency, tenants are filing eviction appeals to the County Courts.  These appeals frequently serve as attempts to delay the tenant's inevitable loss...

read more

4 Simple Steps for Buyers: Avoid Real Estate Fraud

Texas Home Buyers May Avoid Becoming Victims of Real Estate Fraud by Following these simple steps: 1.  Obtain Written Disclosures Before Making an Offer Texas law requires Sellers of residential real estate to furnish buyers with a written and signed disclosure of the...

read more
Real Estate Deadlines too often Written in Sand

Real Estate Deadlines too often Written in Sand

Affairs of the law, and real estate law in particular, are date-intensive. Calculating limitations periods, responding to opposing party demands and discovery requests, and  setting a court date or closing date, are all calendar-driven. However, many parties to real...

read more
Celebrating 10 years and counting!  Est. 9/16/2005

Celebrating 10 years and counting! Est. 9/16/2005

Please join me in celebrating 10 years since I formed my law firm on September 16, 2005. For more than a decade, we have sharply focused on being the best real estate lawyers and water lawyers in San Antonio, Texas. We are honoring the milestone with a special...

read more