A house comes with dates. Some cost money if you miss them, and some just keep the house healthy. Here they are through the year, for Texas. Checked October 2026.
The ones with deadlines
Homestead exemption
File with your county appraisal district. $140,000 off your home's value for school taxes, plus $60,000 more if you're 65 or older or disabled. Missed it? Late applications are accepted up to two years after that year's taxes were due. Find your deadline.
Answer the re-check letter
You don't refile every year, but appraisal districts must re-verify homestead eligibility at least every five years. If a letter comes, answer it by its deadline or the exemption can be removed.
Appraisal notice and protest
Notices arrive in spring. The protest deadline is May 15, or 30 days after the notice is mailed, whichever is later.
Property taxes
Taxes become delinquent if not paid before February 1. Most people with a mortgage pay through escrow, but check that the bill was paid.
Home insurance
Shop quotes about six weeks before it renews, while there's time to switch.
The ones that keep the house healthy
AC and furnace filter
Sooner with pets or allergies. The most forgotten date in any house.
Smoke alarms
Test them monthly. Replace batteries once a year; many people do it when the clocks change in November.
HVAC service
A tune-up before summer and before winter. Texas summers are hard on AC units.
Water heater flush
Sediment builds up in the tank and shortens its life.
Pest control
Quarterly is common. Termite inspections are usually yearly.
Winterize
Cover outdoor faucets, know where your water shutoff is, and drain sprinkler lines if needed.
Why not just set a reminder?
You can, for one date. But a house has a dozen, and most come back every year. Ordinary reminder apps treat them like tasks: they pile up, go red, and nag until you check a box. Forgor is a reminder app built for exactly these dates: one household list, one nudge early enough to act, sent to whoever handles it, and the date rolls forward to next year on its own. Nothing is ever overdue.
General guidance, not tax or legal advice. Confirm deadlines with your county appraisal district and the Texas Comptroller.