City Enforcement Records

San Antonio Code Violation Leads

Find distressed properties before other investors. Daily updates from city enforcement — properties with owners who need solutions fast.

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Daily

Data Updates

3,000-5,000

New Violations/Month

~20%

Repeat Offenders

$149

/month for all leads

Why Code Violations Signal Motivated Sellers

A code violation is a symptom, not just a citation.

When the City of San Antonio flags a property for overgrown weeds, a junked vehicle, a collapsing fence, or a boarded-up structure — that's not just a maintenance issue. It's a signal that the owner has lost control of the property.

Maybe they're overwhelmed. Maybe they're out of state and can't manage it. Maybe they inherited it and don't want it. Maybe they're drowning in other problems and the house is the last thing on their mind.

Whatever the reason, code violations identify properties where the owner has checked out — and that's exactly the type of seller who needs a wholesaler's help.

What Makes Code Violations Different

Lower emotional stakes — practical conversation, not personal trauma
Recurring revenue — same properties get cited repeatedly
Leading indicator — often precedes tax delinquency or foreclosure
Fixable problems — what seems insurmountable to owners is routine for investors
Low competition — most investors overlook this lead source

San Antonio's Code Enforcement Landscape

San Antonio has one of the most active code enforcement operations in Texas.

50,000+

Code cases opened annually

3,000-5,000

New violations per month

30-90 Days

Avg resolution (compliant owners)

Violation Type	Description	Investor Signal
Overgrown Vegetation	Weeds, grass over 12", unmaintained landscaping	Absent or overwhelmed owner
Junked Vehicles	Inoperable cars, abandoned vehicles on property	Neglect, possible vacancy
Substandard Structure	Structural defects, unsafe conditions	Major rehab opportunity
Exterior Maintenance	Peeling paint, broken windows, damaged siding	Deferred maintenance
Illegal Dumping	Trash accumulation, debris piles	Vacancy or tenant issues
Boarding/Securing	Property boarded up, unsecured openings	Vacant, possibly abandoned
Zoning Violations	Unpermitted structures, illegal use	Complex situation, motivated seller

The Code Violation Lifecycle

Understanding how San Antonio enforces codes helps you time your outreach.

Day 0

Complaint or Inspection

A neighbor complains, or a city inspector spots the issue during a sweep. A case is opened. OpenDockets captures these filings.

Days 1-14

Notice of Violation

The city mails a notice to the property owner giving them a deadline to fix the issue — typically 10-30 days depending on severity.

Days 14-45

Re-Inspection

Inspector returns to check compliance. If fixed, case closed. If not, escalation begins. Prime outreach window starts here.

Days 45-90

Administrative Hearing

Non-compliant owners may be summoned to a hearing. Fines start accumulating — often $100-500 per day.

Days 90+

Liens and Abatement

City may place a lien, abate the violation themselves (mow lawn, board structure), or pursue demolition in extreme cases.

Best outreach window: Days 14-90. The owner has received the notice, knows they have a problem, but hasn't been buried in fines yet. They're looking for solutions.

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Daily updates from city enforcement records

Types of Code Violation Leads

Not all violations are equal. Here's how to prioritize.

Tier 1: High Motivation (Work First)

Substandard Structure / Dangerous Building — City deems property unsafe. Owner faces significant repair costs or demolition.
Boarding/Securing Required — Property is vacant and city requires it secured. Owner has abandoned it mentally.
Multiple Active Violations — Three or more open cases signals completely overwhelmed owner.
Repeat Offenders — Properties cited multiple times over years. Owner can't or won't maintain it.

Tier 2: Moderate Motivation

Exterior Maintenance — Peeling paint, broken fences, damaged siding. Indicates deferred maintenance and possible financial stress.
Junked Vehicles — Often correlates with elderly owners or estates. The car belonged to someone who passed or moved.
Zoning Violations — Unpermitted additions, illegal conversions. Owner may face costly remediation.

Tier 3: Lower Priority

Overgrown Vegetation (First Offense) — Very common, often temporary. Still worth mailing, lower conversion.
Minor Trash/Debris — Usually fixed quickly. Better as part of a stacked lead strategy.

Finding Code Violation Leads in San Antonio

The Manual Approach

San Antonio's code enforcement data is technically public, but accessing it is painful:

311 System: Search individual addresses at sanantonio.gov/311 — no bulk download
Open Data Portal: Some data at data.sanantonio.gov — often delayed, requires technical skill
Records Request: FOIA requests take weeks and come in inconsistent formats

The Problem: By the time you compile a usable list, the data is stale. Faster investors have already contacted these owners.

The OpenDockets Approach

OpenDockets pulls code violation data from San Antonio's systems and delivers it fresh:

Daily updates from city enforcement records
Property-matched with BCAD data (owner name, mailing address, property value)
Filterable by violation type, severity, and case status
Stackable with other lead sources (tax liens, divorce, foreclosure)

You get code violation leads ready to mail or call — not raw data you have to spend hours processing.

Sample Code Violation Lead

Here's what a lead looks like in your dashboard.

Code Violation - Multiple

3847 Guadalupe St

San Antonio, TX 78207

Owner

Carlos Mendez

Violations

3 Active

Types

Structure, Vegetation, Vehicle

Property Value

$142,000

Owned Since

2008

Owner Address

Out of State

Stacking Code Violations with Other Distress

Code violations alone convert at a moderate rate. Combined with other distress signals? That's where the magic happens.

🏛️

Code + Tax Delinquency

Owner can't maintain the property AND can't pay taxes. Highly motivated. Classic "tired landlord" signal.

💔

Code + Divorce Filing

Property is falling apart AND the owners are splitting up. Nobody wants to deal with repairs during a divorce.

📜

Code + Probate

Inherited property with code issues. The heirs don't want to fix it — they want to cash out.

✈️

Code + Out-of-State Owner

Absentee landlord with enforcement problems. Managing from afar and failing. Perfect quick-sale candidate.

Code Violation + Long-Term Ownership (20+ Years)

Elderly owner who's owned the property for decades but can no longer maintain it. Often the most motivated and most appreciative sellers.

OpenDockets lets you build Channels that automatically flag leads matching multiple criteria. Set up a "Code + Tax Delinquent" channel and surface your highest-probability opportunities.

Lead Stacking Example

Property: 5621 W Commerce St
Code violations: Structure, overgrown vegetation
Tax delinquent: $3,200 owed since 2023
Owner: 78 years old, lives in property
Signal: Elderly owner who can't keep up

San Antonio Zip Codes with High Code Violation Activity

Code violations cluster in specific areas. These zip codes consistently generate high violation volume.

How to Approach Code Violation Leads

Messaging That Works

Code violation owners respond to practical, solution-oriented messaging:

Lead with the Problem: "I noticed your property at [address] might need some work. If you've been thinking about selling, I buy houses as-is — no repairs needed."

Offer a Clean Exit: "I handle all the cleanup, repairs, and code issues. You walk away with cash and no headaches."

Don't Be Accusatory: Never mention the violation directly in your first contact. Saying "I saw you have code violations" feels like you're piling on.

Best Contact Methods

Contact Method Effectiveness

Direct Mail — High Volume: Simple yellow letter or postcard works well for initial contact with the high lead volume.
Driving for Dollars — High Conversion: Visible code issues? Skip the data and knock on the door.
Cold Calling — Moderate: Works for follow-up. Code violation owners are less urgent than foreclosure leads. Be patient.
Door Knocking — Situational: Great for vacant properties. More awkward if owner lives there.

Building a Code Violation Campaign

Set Your Filters

Violation types: substandard structure, boarding required, multiple violations. Property value: $80K-$300K. Ownership: 5+ years (more equity, more fatigue).

Create Your Mail Piece

Keep it simple: "I Buy Houses As-Is in [Neighborhood]. No repairs needed. No cleanup required. I handle everything. Call or text me: [phone]"

Set Follow-Up Cadence

Mail #1: Week 1. Mail #2: Week 3. Mail #3: Week 6. Phone follow-up: Week 8+. The owner who ignores letter #1 may respond to letter #3.

Track and Stack

As other distress signals emerge (tax delinquency, lis pendens, divorce), your code violation leads become hotter. Keep them in your CRM and watch for stacking.

Legal Considerations

🔗

City Liens

Unpaid fines become liens on the property. These must be satisfied at closing. Properties with liens often mean more motivated sellers — factor the lien into your offer.

🏚️

Demolition Orders

Extreme cases may have demo orders. Understand: you may be buying just land, demo cost becomes yours, some orders can be appealed with a remediation plan.

📋

Disclosure Requirements

When you wholesale a property with known code violations, disclose them to your buyer. Most cash buyers expect issues, but surprises kill deals and reputations.

Code Violations vs. Other Lead Sources

Lead Type	Motivation	Competition	Data Access	Emotional Complexity
Code Violations	Medium	Low	Medium	Low
Foreclosure	Very High	Very High	High	High
Probate	Medium-High	Medium	Medium	High
Tax Lien	Medium	Low	High	Low
Divorce	High	Low-Medium	Medium	Very High

Code violations sit in a sweet spot: lower competition, practical (not emotional) conversations, and excellent stacking potential with other lead sources.

Why Most Investors Overlook Code Violations

Your edge: systematic filtering and lead stacking turns a messy dataset into a targeted pipeline.

📊

Data is Hard to Get

No easy "code violation list" at the county. You have to pull from city systems. OpenDockets solves this.

⏰

Lower Perceived Urgency

Unlike foreclosure, there's no auction date. Investors assume these leads can wait. But delay means missed opportunities.

📈

Volume Overwhelm

Thousands of violations monthly. Without filtering, it's noise. Smart filters turn volume into opportunity.

🤔

Misunderstanding

Many investors think code violations just mean "messy yard" — they miss the substandard structures and chronic offenders.

Tools for Working Code Violation Leads

📞

Skip Tracing

Many code violation properties have absentee owners. You'll need current phone numbers and mailing addresses.

✉️

Direct Mail Service

With high lead volume, hand-writing isn't practical. Services like Yellow Letter HQ or Ballpoint Marketing can scale your campaigns.

🚗

Driving for Dollars App

Apps like DealMachine let you photograph properties, pull owner info, and send mail directly while driving neighborhoods.

📊

CRM System

Track code violation leads separately and tag for follow-up. The longer sales cycle means you need a system that won't let leads slip.

For cold calling →

Leitner LH270 wireless headset — comfortable for long sessions when following up with code violation leads.

Getting Started with Code Violation Leads

Enable Code Violations

Create Your Channel

Filter for high-priority violation types (substandard structure, boarding, multiple violations).

Stack Your Leads

Combine with tax delinquency and long-term ownership for highest-probability opportunities.

Launch Your Campaign

Direct mail your filtered list weekly. Follow up by phone at Week 8+ for non-responders.

Code Violation Lead FAQs

Are code violations public record?

Yes. Code enforcement actions by the City of San Antonio are public record. However, accessing them in bulk requires navigating multiple city systems — which is why most investors don't bother.

How often should I mail code violation leads?

Every 2-3 weeks for your best leads (multiple violations, stacked distress). Monthly for single-violation properties. Persistence pays — the owner who ignores your first letter may respond to your third.

Do code violation fines transfer to the buyer?

Unpaid fines that have become liens on the property must be satisfied at closing. They typically come out of the seller's proceeds or are factored into your offer price.

What if the property has a demolition order?

Proceed with caution. Get a clear understanding of the order's status, appeal options, and demolition costs. Some demo orders can be reversed with a remediation plan — but you may also be buying just the land.

How do code violations compare to driving for dollars?

They're complementary. Code violation data tells you which properties have enforcement issues. Driving for dollars lets you visually confirm the distress and sometimes find properties that haven't been cited yet.

Start Finding Code Violation Leads Today

Daily code violation data matched with property records — find distressed properties before other investors.