What the Kerr County Flood Means If You're Buying, Selling or Renting in San Antonio Right Now

Two days ago, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in roughly 45 minutes in the early morning hours of July 4, 2025. At least 119 people died in Kerr County alone, and 138 lives were lost along the river corridor. Among them were 25 campers at Camp Mystic, two counselors, and the camp director. It is one of the deadliest flood events in Texas history, and it happened in the middle of the night, with almost no time to react.

If you are buying, selling, renting or owning a home anywhere in the greater San Antonio area, this disaster deserves your full attention. Not because San Antonio was the epicenter, but because the Hill Country is our backyard, the Guadalupe and its tributaries feed directly into our region, and what floods upstream eventually moves downstream.

The most immediate lesson is speed. Twenty-six feet in 45 minutes is not a slow-moving threat you can outrun with a few hours of warning. For anyone living along the Medina River, Salado Creek, Leon Creek, or any other waterway that drains into or through Bexar County, that timeline should feel personal. These are not distant rivers. They pass through neighborhoods in Helotes, Leon Valley, Converse, Schertz, and areas throughout the San Antonio city limits.

If you are currently buying a home, flood zone designation on a FEMA map is a starting point, not the finish line. The Kerr County disaster is a reminder that flood maps reflect historical data and modeling, not prophecy. Ask your real estate agent and your lender specifically about the property's elevation relative to nearby waterways, the drainage infrastructure in the neighborhood, and whether the home has ever flooded regardless of its official zone designation. Homes in areas like the 78247 and 78239 ZIP codes near Salado Creek, or properties near Medio Creek in the southwestern parts of the city, carry real water-related considerations that deserve honest conversations before you sign anything.

For buyers considering the Hill Country communities northwest of San Antonio, including Boerne, Comfort, Kerrville, and the areas served by Comfort Independent School District and Kerrville ISD, this week has changed the calculus significantly. Many families are drawn to that region for its beauty, lower density, and strong schools. Those qualities have not disappeared. But the question of where a home sits relative to a creek, a canyon, or a river bottom now has to be part of every conversation, not an afterthought.

If you are selling a home and your property is near any waterway, transparency is both a legal obligation and the right thing to do. Texas law requires sellers to disclose known flooding history on the Seller's Disclosure Notice. This week, buyer awareness is at an all-time high. Trying to minimize flood history or downplay a location's proximity to water will not serve you. Work with your agent to present factual information clearly and let buyers make informed decisions. Homes with documented flood mitigation, elevation certificates, or updated drainage improvements can actually stand out positively right now if those facts are presented honestly.

For renters, this is a good moment to review your lease and understand exactly what your landlord's insurance covers versus what it does not. Landlord policies generally cover the structure, not your belongings. Renter's insurance with flood coverage is a separate product and, in many parts of San Antonio, it is affordable. If you rent near any creek or low-lying area, including neighborhoods around Woodlawn Lake, the Elmendorf Lake area, or portions of the 78228 and 78237 ZIP codes that have experienced drainage challenges historically, a conversation with an insurance agent this week is time well spent.

For current homeowners, now is the time to locate your flood insurance policy documents, confirm your coverage limits, and understand your claims process before you need it. Check that your sump pump is working if you have one. Clear any debris from drainage channels around your property. Know where your water shutoff is. These are basic steps, but they matter.

San Antonio is not Kerrville. But we share the same river system, the same summer storm patterns, and the same Hill Country geology that channels enormous volumes of water quickly and with little warning. The people who died on July 4th were in a place many San Antonians visit for vacation, send their children to summer camp, or consider home.

Real estate in this region is still a sound long-term investment. But flood awareness is not optional anymore, and frankly it never was. The right home in the right location with the right information is still out there. Take the time to find it.