How do I find out which utility providers serve a specific parcel in Comal County?

Yes, and you should. If due diligence reveals that a parcel requires a $20,000 electric line extension and a $22,000 aerobic septic system that the seller's asking price did not anticipate, that information is legitimate grounds for renegotiating the purchase price or asking the seller to contribute to infrastructure costs as a condition of closing. Sellers who have not done their own utility due diligence may not realize the cost gap between their parcel and a served lot nearby. Coming to the renegotiation conversation with actual vendor quotes — not estimates — strengthens your position considerably.

A will-serve letter is a written commitment from a utility provider that they are able and willing to extend service to a specific parcel under standard terms and at a specified cost. It is not a guarantee of service — it can have conditions attached — but it is the clearest documentation available before closing that the utility infrastructure is accessible. Without a will-serve letter, you are relying on the utility's verbal assurance, which is not binding and has no recourse if service turns out to be unavailable or far more expensive than stated. For land purchases involving utility connections, make a will-serve letter a required deliverable before the inspection contingency deadline.

Using the 28/36 rule as a general guide, a buyer would typically need gross household income in the range of $95,000 to $110,000 to comfortably afford a $400,000 home in New Braunfels, depending on the interest rate, down payment, property tax rate, insurance cost, and existing debt. This is a planning estimate, not a loan approval — a lender will calculate your exact number based on your full financial picture.

Most lenders prefer a back-end debt-to-income ratio — total monthly debt payments including the new mortgage, divided by gross monthly income — at or below 43 to 45 percent, with some programs allowing higher ratios for well-qualified borrowers. A lower DTI generally means more loan options and better terms, since it signals more room in your budget to absorb the payment.