YES, it is a known factor throughout pockets of Texas to have expansive soils. 

If your Brother in law is very interested and hands-on, you may be able to pull off a renovation, but if he is not, then this will be a bear to deal with from abroad.  

When indices enter a bear market (a correction that hovers around 20% or more), that’s when we might see sentiment change and housing soften.

"Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my!"

Took down non-load bearing wall, added/framed a new bathroom, all new electrical, fixtures, appliances, stone countertops, 1100 sq ft of luxury vinyl plank flooring, paint, and new furniture for two main living spaces.I spent $1200 on a drywall crew, $5000 for plumbing (had to dig up slab and replace main), $2700 for new chimney, $500 for a structural engineer and $400 for help from my electrician buddy. 

I hear lady bugs can also be problematic at times too.I saw a gus throw a water bottle at a bear that was trying to look in the bed of his truck.

I'm not an attorney, but based on my discussions with attorneys, this is what I've gleaned (and my transaction experience bears this out).

I can't see which part is bolded, but I can tell you that the tax assessed value has no bearing on the value of the property.

He also was not paying for specific items and the lawn was a bit too long for even Yogi the Bear!

If you've already tried the first step by observing what happens outside and in during a heavy rain - making sure that water is redirected away from the foundation by making sure that the gutters are working correctly, the downspouts are emptying at least 6' from the foundation, and that the soil is graded away from the foundation - and you're just looking for a quick fix, you might try plastic or fiberglass wall panels.