You're out of state. The house isn't.
Most of a Texas sale can be handled remotely. The genuinely hard part is not the closing — it's everything the house needs while it waits.
Read this first
If the house is in good shape and you have someone local you trust to handle access, list it. Remote listings work fine with a competent agent, and you'll net more. A fast sale makes sense when there's nobody to manage repairs and showings, or when a vacant house 1,500 miles away has stopped being an asset and started being a worry.
- 01
You probably don't need to fly in
Texas closings are handled at a title company, and remote or mail-away closings are routine — documents couriered or e-signed, with a notary wherever you are. Some documents still need wet ink and a notary; the title company will tell you which.
- 02
A power of attorney is an option, with conditions
You can authorise someone locally to sign on your behalf, but the title company and the lender both have to approve the form in advance. Don't assume a general POA you already have will be accepted.
- 03
Vacant houses deteriorate faster than you'd think
Insurers often charge more for a vacant property or restrict coverage. Meanwhile there's yard upkeep to avoid city citations, humidity that becomes a mould problem in a closed-up Houston house, and vacancy that attracts break-ins. The monthly cost is rarely just the taxes.
- 04
You'll be quoted on things you can't see
Remote sellers get lowballed most often because they can't independently judge condition claims. Get your own photos — a local handyman, a neighbour, a home inspector for a couple of hundred dollars — before you accept anyone's assessment, including ours.
Where we're genuinely useful: nobody local has to manage anything, we don't need access for showings, and closing happens at a Houston title company without you getting on a plane.
Or call (832) 307-1738. No obligation either way.
Then list it — and I’d rather help you do that than talk you out of it.
For plenty of houses a prepared sale on the open market nets more, and the calculator above says so in dollars. If that’s your house, selling to me would cost you money — so let’s not do that. I’m also a licensed Texas broker, and listing is the other half of what I actually do.
No obligation and no catch: if you list, I don’t buy the house. That trade is fine by me — a seller who nets more is a better outcome than a seller who felt cornered.
Both open on alanhernandezhouston.com — my brokerage side.
I’m a licensed Texas real estate broker, and I’d be buying for my own account rather than representing you as an agent.
Alan Hernandez, Licensed Texas Real Estate Broker. This page is general information about the situation described, not legal, tax, or financial advice about yours. Timelines and obligations vary with your documents and circumstances. Verify anything you intend to rely on with an attorney, a CPA, or a HUD-approved counsellor.