What to Do After Closing on Your Wilson County Property: A First 30 Days Checklist

The closing table is not the end of the journey, it's the beginning of the next chapter. And the first 30 days of Wilson County property ownership have a specific checklist that most buyers don't receive from anyone.

Some of these items are legally time-sensitive. Some are financially significant. Some are simply practical actions that experienced rural property owners know to take immediately, and that first-time rural buyers don't know they need to do until they've already missed the window.

James Peterson ALC and Barbara Peterson are broker-owners of United Country Real Estate | Texas Ranch and Home in Floresville, Texas. They live here. They work here. And when a transaction closes, their job isn't finished, they make sure every buyer they represent knows exactly what to do next.

This is the post-closing checklist they share with every Wilson County buyer.

✅ File Your Homestead Exemption Application

If your Wilson County property is your primary residence, filing a homestead exemption application with Wilson County Appraisal District (Wilson CAD) is one of the highest-priority actions after closing.

• Why it's urgent: The homestead exemption significantly reduces your property's taxable value, typically by $100,000 for the school district portion plus county and other entity exemptions. It also caps annual appraisal increases at 10% per year for homesteaded property.
• The deadline: April 30 of the tax year. If you close between January 1 and April 30, file immediately. If you close after April 30, file for the following tax year, but file as soon as possible after your closing date.
• How to file: Online at wilson-cad.org or in person at 1611 Railroad Street, Floresville, TX 78114. You'll need your deed or closing documents and proof of primary residence (driver's license showing the Wilson County address is preferred).
• For buyers 65 and older: File for the over-65 homestead exemption at the same time. This provides an additional exemption and, critically, freezes the school district portion of your property taxes at their current level for as long as you own the home.

✅ Change the Locks

Change the locks on all exterior doors immediately after closing. This includes any keypads, garage door codes, and gate access codes. You have no way of knowing who the prior owners gave keys or access to over the years.

For rural Wilson County properties, this also means:

• Re-coding or re-keying any electronic gate systems
• Checking for any lockboxes left on the property from the listing period and ensuring they're removed
• Verifying that any barn, shop, or outbuilding locks have been re-keyed or replaced

✅ Transfer Utilities and Services

Set up utilities in your name immediately. For rural Wilson County properties, this typically includes:

• Electric cooperative: Contact the applicable cooperative (Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative or the applicable provider for your location) to transfer service to your name.
• Propane: If the home uses propane, contact the current supplier about tank ownership, some tanks are owned, some are leased. Transfer the account or establish a new relationship with a propane supplier.
• Water: If the property has municipal water service (in-town Floresville, La Vernia), transfer the account. For well water properties, there's no transfer needed, but see the well section below.
• Trash and recycling: In-town Floresville and La Vernia have municipal trash service. Rural properties typically use private haulers or county transfer stations.
• Internet and phone: Contact your chosen internet service provider (Starlink, local fixed wireless, fiber) to initiate service at the new address.

✅ Locate All System Shutoffs

On a rural Wilson County property, knowing where to find emergency shutoffs for major systems could prevent a small problem from becoming a large one.

Find and label:

• Main water shutoff (at the pressure tank or between the well and the house)
• Electrical panel and understand which breakers control which circuits
• Propane shutoff at the tank
• HVAC emergency shutoff if applicable
• Septic system cleanout access point location

✅ Verify Agricultural Valuation Status

If your Wilson County property has agricultural appraisal (ag exemption), confirm its status with Wilson CAD within the first week of ownership. Verify:

• That the ag valuation is active and in your name
• What use is maintaining the valuation (cattle, hay, beekeeping, wildlife management)
• What you need to continue doing to maintain it going forward
• Whether any applications or notifications need to be filed with Wilson CAD to reflect the change in ownership

The risk of inaction

If agricultural use lapses, even briefly, during a transition period without proper management, ag valuation may be reviewed or revoked, and rollback taxes could be triggered. Don't assume it continues automatically.

✅ Service the Well and Septic Immediately

For rural Wilson County properties with well and septic systems, schedule professional service within the first two weeks of ownership.

• Well: Have the water quality tested by a certified lab, even if testing was done during the option period. Water quality can change. Know what you're drinking and bathing in. Keep the lab results on file. Schedule annual water quality testing going forward.
• Septic: If the septic tank wasn't pumped as part of the option period inspections, schedule a pump-out within the first two weeks. Know the tank location, the type of system (conventional or aerobic), and if aerobic, ensure a current maintenance contract is in place.

For aerobic septic systems specifically: Texas law requires an active maintenance contract with a licensed service provider and quarterly inspections. Ensure this is transferred to a new contract in your name before the previous owner's contract lapses.

✅ Document the Property Condition

Within two weeks of closing, walk the entire property and document its current condition with photos and notes. This creates a baseline record that:

• Establishes pre-ownership condition for any future insurance claims
• Documents existing improvements, fencing, structures, and infrastructure
• Provides evidence of the property's state at the time you took ownership, which matters for any future disputes

For rural acreage, walk the fence lines and note any sections that need immediate attention. Check the stock tank water level and condition. Inspect the barn and outbuildings. Document the condition of any improvements you intend to maintain or improve.

✅ Meet Your Neighbors

In Wilson County's rural communities, your neighbors are part of your daily life in a way that urban residents don't experience. Introducing yourself early, with a visit or a wave across the fence line, establishes the relationship that makes rural living work.

In a community where people look out for each other, neighbors who know you will notice unusual activity on your property, let you know about county road conditions, and be the first call you make when something goes wrong on the land. That relationship starts with a simple introduction.

✅ Establish Relationships With Local Agricultural Services

For rural property owners, these local relationships matter:

• Local veterinarian (large animal): Establish a relationship before your first animal health emergency.
• Local feed store: Know where to source hay, feed, and agricultural supplies.
• Well pump service contractor: Know who to call before your pump fails.
• Septic service provider: Have a name and number before an emergency.
• Fencing contractor: Have at least one local contact for fence repair needs.
• Local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office: Wilson County has an Extension office in Floresville that provides free agricultural and horticultural guidance for landowners.

✅ Update Your Driver's License and Vehicle Registration

Texas law requires updating your driver's license address within 30 days of moving. Vehicle registration can be updated at the Wilson County Tax Office.

✅ Register to Vote at Your Wilson County Address

If you're establishing Wilson County as your primary residence, update your voter registration through the Wilson County Elections office.

✅ Review and Update Your Insurance

Confirm that your homeowners (or farm and ranch) insurance policy is in effect from the day of closing and accurately reflects:

• The correct property description and all improvements
• Adequate dwelling replacement cost coverage
• Other structures coverage adequate for barns, shops, and outbuildings
• The correct property address and legal description

If anything changed between your quote and closing, if you discovered additional outbuildings, if the insurance inspection noted any concerns, address those with your insurance agent within the first month.

✅ Establish Your Property Tax Payment System

Wilson County property taxes are due by January 31 each year. Many Wilson County property owners without an escrow account pay their taxes directly. Establish a system:

• Know when your annual tax statement arrives (typically October–November)
• Know the payment deadline (January 31, with penalty and interest beginning February 1)
• Consider setting up automatic payment through the Wilson County Tax Assessor-Collector's online portal

If your mortgage requires an escrow account for taxes, verify that your lender has the correct tax information and is set up to make payment on your behalf.

✅ Contact the Post Office for Rural Delivery Verification

For rural Wilson County addresses, confirm with the local post office that mail delivery is correctly routed to your address. Rural route addresses and physical 911 addresses sometimes differ, ensure both your mail and emergency dispatchers can find you correctly.

✅ Post Your Address Prominently at the Property Entry

As covered in our blog on rural emergency services, rural Wilson County properties should have a clearly visible, weather-resistant address number posted at the entry or along the road where emergency responders can see it. If your entry is gated or not visible from the road, additional signage may be needed.

• April 30: Homestead exemption filing deadline (file once; confirm annually it's active)
• January 31: Property tax payment deadline
• Annually: Well water quality testing
• Every 3–5 years: Septic tank pump-out
• Every 4 months (aerobic systems): Mandatory inspection service
• Annually: Ag valuation review, confirm qualifying use is documented
• Annually: Insurance policy review, confirm coverage keeps pace with property improvements and inflation

• When exactly can I file for homestead exemption? You can file as soon as you've closed on the property and it is your primary residence. The exemption applies to the full calendar year if you owned and occupied the property as your primary residence on January 1.
• How do I know if my ag valuation transferred to my name after closing? Contact Wilson CAD directly and ask them to confirm the agricultural appraisal status on your property parcel number. They can verify whether ag valuation is active and in your name.
• What happens if I miss the April 30 homestead exemption deadline? You wait until the following tax year to file. You cannot backdate the exemption. Filing as soon as possible after closing, even if you just missed the deadline, positions you for the following year.

James Peterson ALC and Barbara Peterson do not disappear after the closing. They're here for the questions that come up in the days and weeks after you take ownership, because in Wilson County, getting started on the right foot matters.

📞 James: 210-740-1295 📞 Barbara: 210-540-6487 🌐 www.txranchandhome.com

We live here. We work here. Your first 30 days start a relationship with this community that can last a lifetime.

James Peterson ALC & Barbara Peterson are broker-owners of United Country Real Estate | Texas Ranch and Home in Floresville, Texas. They specialize in residential, land, and ranch real estate across Wilson County and South Texas.

Questions about this on a property in Wilson County? Texas Ranch & Home works rural homes and land across Wilson, Atascosa, Gonzales, Guadalupe and Karnes Counties. Call James Peterson ALC at (210) 740-1295 or Barbara Peterson at (210) 540-6487, or send us a message.

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