You might have property to claim through Texas' Unclaimed Property division

There may be some hope for people who were recently laid off or furloughed through funds held by Texas' Comptroller's Unclaimed Property division.

There's close to a billion dollars available currently in the Houston area waiting to be claimed. You can visit the Texas Unclaimed Property website to search for money that could be rightfully yours.

Bryant Clayton with the comptroller's office said average claims are about$1,000 and they "have property from one cent to over a million in our database."

These funds come from a multitude of sources.

"It's generally things like bank accounts that have not had transactions on them for a long period of time," said Clayton. "Checks that went undeposited. It could be a payroll check that you never received."

Other property types may include bank or credit card refunds, a return from insurance premiums, dividends and death benefits due to beneficiaries.

According to Clayton, this how much each county has available in property.

• Harris County: $776 million

• Fort Bend: $79 million

• Montgomery County: over $45 million

• Galveston County: $45 million

To see if there are funds you can claim, log on and enter your name. If you see your name appear with a current or previous address, click on the claim tab to start the process.

"You indicate to us what your relationship is to that property, as in property in my name that belongs to me" Clayton said. "It could be property that belonged to your parents or grandparents that have passed away and you might be an heir for them under their will."

Proper documentation is required to prove identity. Once approved, the comptroller's office said a check will be sent out in the mail within four to five businesses days.