Selling with tenants in place: the fork every west-side landlord faces

The rule that shapes everything

In Texas, a lease generally survives the sale — the buyer inherits your tenant and terms until the lease ends. A month-to-month arrangement can be ended with proper written notice (commonly 30 days, but your lease and any local rules govern). So the real question isn't "can I sell?" — it's which buyer are you selling to?

Fork one: sell to an investor, tenant in place

A paying tenant is a feature to an investor — instant cash flow, no vacancy. Strongest where the rent math works: White Settlement and Benbrook price points. Costs: the buyer pool is investors only, offers price to cap rates rather than comps, and showings depend on tenant cooperation — which is why the smart first move is a straight conversation with the tenant, sometimes with an incentive for keeping the home showable.

Fork two: wait for vacancy, sell retail

Owner-occupants pay retail, and they need vacancy (or a lease ending by closing). Costs: carrying an empty house through prep and marketing. This usually nets more in Aledo-ISD-zone properties where the retail premium dwarfs an investor's income math.

The etiquette that protects your price

Notice for entry per the lease, showings batched to respect the tenant's life, and honesty about the timeline. A cooperative tenant keeps the home photographable and showable; an alienated one can quietly cost you more than any repair. Treat the tenant as a stakeholder in the sale — because functionally, they are.