Buying near JBSA Randolph: a Universal City due-diligence checklist

The hard part of buying near Randolph is not finding the information. Every answer you need is published by somebody: the city, the appraisal district, the school district, the utility, TxDOT, FEMA. The hard part is that the answers live in eight places and the contract gives you one short window to act on all of them.

So this is not another list of things to look into. It is the same Universal City homework, sorted by the deadline that forces it. The deadlines come from the One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) promulgated by the Texas Real Estate Commission, form 20-19, effective July 1, 2026 [1]. If you are under contract on a resale home here, that is almost certainly the form you signed. Read your own copy alongside this, because the blanks in it are what actually bind you.

For the orientation version of this area, see the Universal City core and Pat Booker Road area guide. For the checks worth running before you write an offer at all, see moving to Universal City. This page picks up the moment somebody signs.

Settle these before you sign, because they are free and fast

Four lookups cost nothing, take about twenty minutes, and are much cheaper to run before you are on a clock than after. None of them require the seller’s cooperation.

• Run the exact address through the city’s AICUZ application, which lets a user enter an address for a home or business and determine whether it falls within one of the zones defined for the 2017 AICUZ study for Randolph Air Force Base [2].
• Check the mapped flood area for the parcel through the city’s floodplain gateway [3] and the FEMA Flood Map Service Center [10].
• Find out who actually serves the address. The city lists electric service from either CPS Energy or GVEC, and gas from either CPS Energy or CenterPoint Energy [4]. Two houses on the same block can differ.
• Pull the current appraisal record from the Bexar Central Appraisal District [11] and read every taxing unit on it, then confirm the current district assignment with the district itself rather than a listing [12].

None of this is a judgment about the property. It is the set of facts a lender, an insurer, an appraiser and a future buyer will each look at independently.

The first deadline is three days, and it is not the inspection

Paragraph 5A of the contract requires the buyer to deliver the earnest money and the option fee to the escrow agent within 3 days after the effective date. The two may be paid separately or combined in a single payment, and the contract directs the escrow agent to apply what it receives first to the option fee, then to the earnest money [1]. If that third day lands on a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday as the contract defines it, the time runs to the end of the next day that is not one of those [1].

Paragraph 5D is the one that catches people. If no dollar amount is stated as the option fee, or the buyer fails to deliver it in time, the buyer does not have the unrestricted right to terminate under paragraph 5 at all [1]. Paragraph 5E adds that time is of the essence for that paragraph and strict compliance is required [1]. A wire sent on day four does not buy back the option.

Do this first. Then start spending money on inspections.

The option period is the only unconditional way out

Paragraph 5B grants the buyer the unrestricted right to terminate by giving notice of termination to the seller within the number of days written into the blank, measured from the effective date. Notices under that paragraph must be given by 5:00 p.m., local time where the property is located, by the date specified. If the buyer gives that notice in time, the option fee is not refunded and any earnest money is refunded [1].

Every other exit in the contract is conditional on something: a title objection, a financing approval, a disclosure that never arrived. This one is not. Which is why the local checks below belong inside it rather than after it.

What to inspect here in particular

Paragraph 7A obliges the seller to permit access at reasonable times, lets the buyer use inspectors licensed by TREC or otherwise permitted by law, and requires the seller to turn existing utilities on and keep them on while the contract is in effect [1]. Two details in that paragraph matter locally. Hydrostatic testing must be separately authorized by the seller in writing [1], and on the established slab-on-grade stock behind the Pat Booker corridor that is often the test you most want. And utilities being on is what makes a real inspection possible at all, so confirm it before the inspector drives out.

On an older Universal City home, a general inspection is the starting point rather than the finish. A sewer scope, a foundation opinion and a wood-destroying-insect report are frequently worth the extra cost on this housing stock. Ask specifically about drainage at the slab, the age and condition of the sewer line, and what the attic shows.

Paragraph 7D defines “As Is” as the present condition of the property with any and all defects, and states plainly that agreeing to take the property As Is does not stop the buyer from inspecting it under paragraph 7A [1]. An As Is contract is not a reason to skip the inspection. It is a reason to do it properly.

The disclosure notice runs on its own clock

Paragraph 7B handles the seller’s disclosure notice required by section 5.008 of the Texas Property Code. If the buyer has not received it, the contract sets a number of days for the seller to deliver it. If the buyer never receives it, the buyer may terminate at any time prior to closing and the earnest money is refunded. If the seller does deliver it late, the buyer may terminate for any reason within 7 days after receiving it or prior to closing, whichever occurs first, and the earnest money is refunded [1].

That is a second, independent window, and it can outlast the option period. Note the date you actually received the notice, not the date on the form.

Paragraph 7C adds that federal law requires a lead-based paint disclosure for a residential dwelling constructed prior to 1978 [1]. A good deal of the established stock in this part of Universal City predates that year, so ask early rather than at signing.

Flood status, and the insurance quote you need before the option ends

The city’s floodplain gateway explains what the mapped areas mean. Unshaded Zone X covers areas FEMA does not recognize as high hazard for flooding. Shaded Zone X covers areas with a 0.2 percent annual chance of flooding based on historical data. Zones A and AE carry a 1 percent annual chance and are described as high risk areas where flooding commonly occurs. The floodway essentially corresponds to the channel of a stream or river, nearly always floods, and is the highest risk area [3].

The consequence is financial and immediate. The city states that federally-backed mortgage lenders are legally required to ensure that structures within the 1 percent zone are insured through the National Flood Insurance Program [3]. That changes the monthly payment, not the closing costs. Get an actual quote for the actual address, with any elevation certificate the seller has, before your option deadline rather than after it. Confirm the mapped status against the FEMA Flood Map Service Center as well [10].

The zone lookup is a land-use fact, not a verdict on the home

The city defines the clear zone as the square area beyond the end of the runway, centered on the runway centerline and extending outward 3,000 feet. APZ 1 is the rectangular area beyond the clear zone, 3,000 feet wide and 5,000 feet long along the extended runway centerline. APZ 2 is the rectangular area beyond APZ 1, 3,000 feet wide and 7,000 feet long [2].

APZ 2 reaches farther from the field than most buyers expect, so an address that feels well clear of the installation can still return a mapped status. What that status affects is land use, permitted development, and sometimes how a lender, insurer, appraiser or later buyer reads the parcel. Ask the city what the current mapped status is for the exact address and what it permits, and get the answer in writing. This is a question about the ground, not about the household.

Utilities, zoning and permit history change by address

The city names itself as the provider for water, wastewater and storm water, reachable at 210-659-0333 option 2, and lists Frontier Waste Solutions for residential trash [4]. Electric and gas are the ones that vary, as above. Confirm the serving utility, the meter and the account status for the specific parcel, and confirm the transfer process before closing.

For anything the seller built, converted or enclosed, check the permit record. Universal City issues permits across structural, framing, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, irrigation, pools, fences, accessory buildings, decks, retaining walls, roofing, solar panels and windows, and it runs applications through a portal that requires registration first [5]. Development Services sits at 2150 Universal City Boulevard and is open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, at 210-659-0333 [5]. If a converted garage or a detached studio is part of why the price makes sense, find out whether it was permitted before the option period closes, because the appraiser and your lender will each have their own view of that space.

Read the zoning that actually applies too. The city publishes a web mapping application carrying zoning information, where clicking a zoning area reveals the classification and the permitted land uses for that class [9]. Do that before you budget a shop, a second drive, a fence line or a rental use. Do not assume a property can be operated as a rental until zoning, deed restrictions, lender terms and insurance all line up for that address.

Taxes: what prorates, and what does not come with the house

Paragraph 13 prorates taxes for the current year through the closing date, allows the tax proration to be calculated taking into consideration any change in exemptions that will affect the current year’s taxes, and requires the parties to adjust the prorations later if the actual statements differ from the estimate [1].

The exemption itself does not ride along with the deed. The Texas Comptroller states that a home must meet the definition of a residence homestead and the individual must have an ownership interest and use the property as a principal residence, that the general filing deadline is before May 1, and that an owner who acquires the property after January 1 may receive the general residence homestead exemption for the applicable portion of the tax year on qualification if the previous owner did not receive the same exemption for that year [7]. The Comptroller also notes that Tax Code Section 11.13(b) requires school districts to provide a $140,000 exemption on a residence homestead [7].

Practical version: list every taxing unit on the appraisal record [11], ask your lender to underwrite the payment without assuming an exemption you have not been granted yet, and file with the appraisal district once you own it. An escrow shortage discovered in year two is a bad surprise that this one conversation prevents.

The water rules come with the house

Universal City lists Stage 3 water restrictions effective 06/25/24, triggered when the Edwards Aquifer index well J-17 is at or below six hundred forty feet mean sea level on a ten-day rolling average [6]. Under that schedule the watering day is set by the last digit of the address: 0 and 1 on Monday, 2 and 3 on Tuesday, 4 and 5 on Wednesday, 6 and 7 on Thursday, 8 and 9 on Friday. Standard sprinkler systems run once every week on that day between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., drip irrigation gets Monday, Wednesday and Friday in those same hours, and a handheld hose is allowed at any time [6].

If a new landscape, a pool fill or a large lawn is part of the plan, price it against the current stage rather than a wetter year. Stages change, so confirm the stage in effect with the city on the day you need the answer.

Drive the commute while you can still act on it

The reason people search here is the short trip to the installation and to the I-35 and Loop 1604 connections. Test it from the driveway, at the hours you would actually travel, on two different days, with at least one weekday morning. Include the turn out of the street and the crossing you cannot avoid.

Read the result as a construction-period number. TxDOT describes I-35 NEX Central as 9.5 miles of non-tolled improvements along I-35 from I-410 N to FM 3009, adding three elevated lanes in each direction consisting of two mainlanes and one high-occupancy vehicle lane, with construction beginning in June 2022 and expected completion in late 2027 [8].

The working list, in order

Before you sign: AICUZ lookup [2], mapped flood area [3] [10], serving electric and gas utility [4], appraisal record and taxing units [11], district assignment confirmed with the district [12].

Within 3 days of the effective date: option fee and earnest money delivered to the escrow agent, with a dollar amount actually written in the option fee blank [1].

Inside the option period: general inspection with utilities on; sewer scope, foundation opinion and wood-destroying-insect report where the age of the home warrants; hydrostatic testing only with the seller’s separate written authorization [1]; a real flood insurance quote for the address [3]; permit history for every addition or conversion [5]; the zoning district and what it allows [9]; the commute driven twice [8].

Before closing: seller’s disclosure notice received and dated, with the 7-day window tracked from receipt [1]; survey, plat and easements read; utility transfer arranged [4]; exemption plan confirmed with the lender and the appraisal district [7] [11].

If a Randolph commute is what is driving the search, the Randolph AFB housing guide covers the installation side of that decision, and the Universal City hub is the comparison page for the city as a whole.

Sources

Retrieved August 18, 2026. Each link below is the office that publishes the record. Forms, mapped zones, drought stages, utility territory, tax rules, district assignments and construction schedules all change without notice, so open the original for your own address and date.

1. [1] Texas Real Estate Commission, One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), form 20-19 — effective July 1, 2026 as published on the retrieval date; paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 13 are the ones quoted here.
2. [2] City of Universal City, JBSA-Randolph AICUZ zones and address lookup — the 2017 AICUZ study zones and the clear zone, APZ 1 and APZ 2 definitions.
3. [3] City of Universal City, floodplain map gateway — zone definitions and the National Flood Insurance Program requirement for federally-backed lenders.
4. [4] City of Universal City, utility service providers — electric, gas, water, wastewater, storm water and trash providers with contact numbers.
5. [5] City of Universal City, permits — permit categories, the registration-first application portal, and the Development Services address, hours and phone.
6. [6] City of Universal City, drought stage information — the Stage 3 restrictions, the J-17 trigger, and the watering schedule by address digit.
7. [7] Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, property tax exemptions — residence homestead qualification, the filing deadline, the mid-year acquisition rule, and the school district exemption amount.
8. [8] Texas Department of Transportation, I-35 NEX Central — project limits, length, lane configuration, and the construction and completion dates.
9. [9] City of Universal City, zoning map application — the web mapping application carrying zoning classifications and permitted land uses.
10. [10] FEMA Flood Map Service Center — the federal flood map of record for a specific address.
11. [11] Bexar Central Appraisal District — the appraisal record, the taxing units on a parcel, and exemption applications.
12. [12] Texas Education Agency, school district locator — the starting point for confirming which district serves an address, which then has to be confirmed with the district.

Questions buyers ask us about Randolph-area due diligence

How do I find out whether a Universal City address is in a Randolph accident potential zone?

The City of Universal City publishes an address lookup built on the 2017 AICUZ study for Randolph Air Force Base. Enter the exact address in that application. The city defines the clear zone as the square area beyond the runway end extending outward 3,000 feet, APZ 1 as the rectangle beyond it at 3,000 feet wide and 5,000 feet long, and APZ 2 as the rectangle beyond APZ 1 at 3,000 feet wide and 7,000 feet long. Zone status is a land-use fact about a parcel. It is not a statement about anyone who lives there.

When does my unrestricted right to walk away actually end?

Under paragraph 5B of the current TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), the seller grants the buyer an unrestricted right to terminate by giving notice within the number of days written into the blank, and the contract requires that notice by 5:00 p.m. local time where the property is located on the day specified. Miss it and you still have the contract's conditional exits, but you no longer have the unconditional one.

Does the seller's homestead exemption transfer to me at closing?

No. The Texas Comptroller states that a property owner who acquires a property after January 1 may receive the general residence homestead exemption for the applicable portion of that tax year on qualification, if the previous owner did not receive the same exemption for that year. You have to own the home and use it as your principal residence, and you have to apply with the appraisal district. Ask your lender to underwrite the payment without assuming an exemption you have not yet been granted.

Keep going

Randolph AFB housing The installation side of the decision, for searches driven by a Randolph commute. Universal City The city hub, with the local records, offices and contacts we use most. Core and Pat Booker Road The area guide for the corridor most of these addresses sit in. Before you write an offer The companion guide covering the checks that belong ahead of a contract. Buying with Velvet Realty Group How we run search, offer strategy, option-period coordination and closing. Search current listings Live inventory, so the checklist has an actual address to run against.