The federal and TREC rules for a loan assumption are the same across Texas. In DFW, the local work is pulling your recorded deed of trust, signing up for county fraud alerts, checking that taxes stay paid, and getting local legal or housing counseling help.
Thinking about letting a buyer take over your FHA, VA or USDA loan on a house in Fort Worth, Dallas or the suburbs? The approval rules, release of liability and TREC addenda are explained in our Texas guide to assumable mortgages. This page is the North Texas layer: which county offices hold your records, how to watch them after closing, and where to get local help. If a buyer instead offers to take title and leave your loan in place without lender approval, that is a different arrangement, covered in our DFW subject-to guide and our page on taking over mortgage payments in DFW.
Start with the recorded deed of trust
Your servicer approves an assumption, but the paper trail sits with the county clerk. When you bought, your deed of trust was recorded in the county where the house is. Under TREC's Loan Assumption Addendum, the seller must hand the buyer copies of the notes, the deeds of trust and the latest loan statements within 7 days after the contract's effective date. Pulling the recorded copy early saves a scramble.
- Tarrant County: the County Clerk's real estate records page links to an online search.
- Dallas County: the Recording Division of the County Clerk offers an online record search.
- Collin County: start from the County Clerk's page and ask the office how to search recorded documents.
- Denton County: the county's Property Records page opens a searchable index of recorded documents.
Search under your name exactly as it appears on the loan. If you had a second lien, such as a home equity loan, look for that deed of trust too. The addendum has a separate line for a second note.
On a VA loan, federal law requires at least one loan document to carry a notice that the loan is not assumable without the approval of the Department of Veterans Affairs or its authorized agent. Look for that wording in your note or the recorded deed of trust before you talk terms with a buyer.
Sign up for a county fraud alert
After an assumption, the house is no longer yours, yet your name can still be on the loan until a release is issued. A free recording alert is a simple way to see when a document naming you is filed.
DFW recording alerts: the Tarrant County Clerk offers a free Property Fraud Alert that notifies you when your exact name appears as grantor or grantee on more than 90 document types. The Dallas County Clerk partners with Neumo Property Alerts, which it says is free to the public and could save time and money later in clearing title. The Collin County Clerk links to a Property Fraud Alert sign-up from its menu. For Denton County, ask the clerk's office what alert service it offers.
Tarrant's service can reach you by email or by a phone call from a representative. Register every form of your name that appears on the loan, since the match is on the exact name.
Watch the tax account on a house you no longer own
With an assumption, the lender's escrow account for taxes and insurance moves to the buyer. TREC 41-3 says it transfers with no shortage and the buyer reimburses you for what is in it. From then on, the buyer and the servicer handle the bills. If the loan still carries your name, it is reasonable to keep an eye on the property afterward.
| What to check | Where in DFW |
|---|---|
| Owner of record and exemptions | TAD, DCAD, Collin CAD, Denton CAD |
| Amount billed and any balance due | Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector, Dallas County Tax Office, Denton County Tax Assessor-Collector |
| New documents filed under your name | County clerk alerts above |
After closing, check that the appraisal district record lists the buyer as owner; if it does not, ask the title company that closed the sale. If a tax balance appears, ask the servicer about the escrow account.
Local help before you sign
An assumption has more moving parts than a standard sale, and the details depend on your loan. Two local resources are worth knowing:
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas provides free civil legal services to low-income people in 114 counties across North and West Texas, with a Fort Worth office and a Legal Aid Line at 1-888-529-5277. Housing and foreclosure are among the problems it lists.
- HUD-approved housing counseling agencies can be found with the CFPB's housing counselor search. A search for downtown Fort Worth ZIP 76102 returns agencies in Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas, and several list mortgage delinquency and default resolution counseling among their services.
Bring your note, deed of trust, latest statement and the draft TREC addenda to any appointment, so the person helping you sees the same papers your servicer will. For advice on your specific deal, a Texas real estate attorney can read the contract and addenda, and a CPA can answer tax questions.
A DFW seller's assumption checklist
- Call your servicer and ask, in writing, whether the loan can be assumed and whether you can be released.
- Pull your recorded deed of trust from the county clerk where the house sits.
- Gather the latest loan statement and the escrow balance for the TREC addendum.
- Register for your county's recording alert under every version of your name on the loan.
- After closing, confirm that the appraisal district shows the new owner.
- Check the tax office account after the next bill goes out.
- Keep your release of liability, or the written denial, with your closing papers.
Selling your DFW house for cash instead
Some owners decide they would rather end the loan than hand it to a buyer. Cash Home Advisors is based in Fort Worth and buys houses across DFW. We pay all closing costs and can close in 7–14 days, and the payoff on your loan is handled at the title company. You review the closing statement before you sign.
You can ask for a cash offer, see the areas we serve, including Fort Worth and Dallas, or read our DFW closing costs guide.
Want a cash offer instead?
We buy Texas houses as-is, pay all closing costs, and can close in 7–14 days.
Get my cash offer or call (817) 635-0743
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a copy of my deed of trust in Tarrant or Dallas County?
Both county clerks offer an online search of recorded real estate documents, so you can usually find your deed of trust by your name. The title company handling the sale can also pull it for you.
Is Tarrant County's Property Fraud Alert free?
Yes. The Tarrant County Clerk describes it as a free online service. You are notified when the exact name you register appears as a grantor or grantee on more than 90 document types recorded by the clerk, by email or by a phone call.
Where can a DFW homeowner get free legal help with a mortgage question?
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas provides free civil legal services to low-income people across 114 counties in North and West Texas and lists housing and foreclosure among its areas of help. Eligibility rules apply.
How can I see whether property taxes are being paid on a house I sold by assumption?
Look up the property on your county tax office's website, such as the Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector or the Dallas County Tax Office. The account shows what was billed and whether a balance is owed.
Sources
- Tarrant County Clerk, Property Fraud Alert
- Tarrant County Clerk, Real estate records
- Dallas County Clerk, Recording Division, Property Fraud Alert
- Dallas County Clerk, Recording Division
- Collin County Clerk
- Denton County, Property Records search
- Tarrant Appraisal District
- Dallas Central Appraisal District
- Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector
- Dallas County Tax Office
- Denton County Tax Assessor-Collector
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Find a housing counselor
- Texas Real Estate Commission, Loan Assumption Addendum, TREC No. 41-3
- 38 U.S.C. 3714, Assumptions; release from liability (VA loan notice)
General information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a Texas attorney or CPA about your situation.