A DFW lender's title company checks the same county records you can: deed records, probate files, tax accounts and appraisal district data. Tarrant charges $20 to record a document's first page and Dallas $25. Tarrant alerts you when a name you register appears on a recorded document; Dallas offers free Neumo alerts.
The legal framework is in our Texas guide to borrowing against inherited property: clear the title first, let the executor handle any loan while probate is open, and follow the Constitution's home equity rules if the house is your homestead. This page covers the Dallas-Fort Worth side, meaning the county records a lender will check, what recording costs, and how to guard the house while the paperwork moves.
What the lender's title company will pull
Before any DFW lender funds a loan on an inherited house, its title company searches public records in the county where the house sits. You can look first and fix problems before you apply:
- Deed records. The Tarrant County Clerk's real estate records page links to an official records search, and the Dallas County Clerk's Recording Division offers a non-certified online public record search. Look for the deed into your parent, any deed of trust and any release.
- Probate files. Tarrant Probate Court No. 1's page links to a Probate Court Records Search; the Dallas County Clerk's probate division lists a Probate Case Search. A will that was never probated, or letters that were never issued, is a gap a lender will notice.
- Tax accounts. The Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector's site has property tax account lookups, and the Dallas County Tax Office offers a property tax lookup and payment application. Unpaid years usually need to be dealt with.
- Appraisal district data. Check TAD, DCAD, Collin CAD or Denton CAD for the owner name and exemptions on the account.
Getting the probate piece done locally
DFW probate offices: Tarrant County Probate Court No. 1, 817-884-1200, and No. 2, 817-884-1415 (call to confirm the courtroom) · Dallas County Clerk, Probate Courts Division, 600 Commerce St., 7th Floor, (214) 653-7099 · Collin County Probate Court, McKinney · Denton County Probate Courts, Denton
A few local details shape how heirs build the paper trail a lender wants:
- Tarrant County. Probate Court No. 1 posts sample orders as a resource for attorneys, including probating a will as a muniment of title and a muniment after four years, plus small estate affidavit instructions.
- Dallas County. The clerk's probate page says affidavits of heirship are filed with the Recording Division, not the probate division. It also lists a $360 filing fee for a small estate affidavit, and says the person must have been deceased 30 days before one is filed.
- Collin County. The clerk's probate page says the court cannot appoint an executor or administrator who is not represented by a licensed attorney.
If an executor needs a loan inside a supervised estate, Estates Code Sec. 351.252 requires a sworn application in the probate court, a posted citation and a court order. Budget time for that before promising a contractor or a sibling a payment date.
Recording costs in Tarrant and Dallas counties
Several documents in an inherited-house loan get recorded: an heirship affidavit, a release of the parent's old lien and the new deed of trust. Here is what the two largest DFW clerks post:
| County clerk | First page | Each added page |
|---|---|---|
| Tarrant County | $20 | $4 |
| Dallas County | $25 ($5 recording, $10 preservation, $10 archiving) | $4 |
Tarrant's recording office is in the Tarrant County Courthouse at 100 W. Weatherford St. in Fort Worth, and Dallas's Recording Division is at 500 Elm Street. Collin and Denton County clerks post their own fee lists.
Tax and homestead checks before you apply
If you live in the inherited house, file for the heir homestead exemption with your appraisal district. Tarrant Appraisal District lists what an heir owner who is not on a recorded deed must provide: an affidavit of ownership interest, the prior owner's death certificate, the most recent utility bill and a citation of any court record on ownership, if available. Any other heir living there signs an affidavit authorizing the application.
Keep in mind that the tax exemption and the constitutional homestead are separate questions. A lender will make its own call about whether the Texas home equity rules apply, and your attorney can help if the answer is unclear.
Guard the house while the paperwork moves
Vacant inherited houses with a deceased owner on record attract fraud. Both large DFW counties offer free alerts:
- Tarrant County Property Fraud Alert monitors the exact name you register and notifies you when it appears as a grantor or grantee on a recorded document. The clerk notes it will not prevent fraud but gives early warning.
- Dallas County partners with Neumo Property Alerts, which the clerk describes as free to the public.
Registering both your own name and your parent's name lets you see if anyone records a document claiming the house.
Closing a DFW home equity loan
When the house is your homestead and the loan is a Texas home equity loan, Section 50(a)(6)(N) of the Texas Constitution allows it to close only at the lender's office, an attorney's office or a title company. Plan for every owner, and each owner's spouse, to be available to sign, since their written consent is required.
A DFW heir's borrowing checklist
- Search the deed records and probate index for your parent's name.
- Pick a probate route with a lawyer and get it on file.
- Record the heirship affidavit or court order in the county where the house sits.
- Pay or plan for any past-due taxes.
- Sign up for your county's property fraud alert.
- Line up every co-owner's signature before you apply.
When selling beats borrowing
Cash Home Advisors is based in Fort Worth and buys houses across DFW, including inherited houses. If the title work is still in progress, you can ask us about it. We can close in 7–14 days and we pay all closing costs, including recording. Any old mortgage is paid off from the price at the title company, and you see the closing statement before you sign.
Request a cash offer, read about selling an inherited house, or see our Fort Worth and Dallas pages.
Want a cash offer instead?
We buy Texas houses as-is, pay all closing costs, and can close in 7–14 days.
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Frequently asked questions
Where do I file an affidavit of heirship in Dallas County?
With the Dallas County Clerk's Recording Division, not the probate division. The clerk's probate page says affidavits of heirship must be filed with Recording, which is at 500 Elm Street in Dallas.
What does it cost to record a document in Tarrant or Dallas County?
The Tarrant County Clerk charges $20 for the first page and $4 for each additional page. The Dallas County Clerk's standard fee is $25 for the first page ($5 recording, $10 records preservation and $10 archiving) and $4 for each remaining page.
How can I find out if someone records a deed on my late parent's house?
Both large DFW counties offer free alerts. Tarrant County's Property Fraud Alert notifies you when the exact name you register appears as a grantor or grantee in a recorded document. Dallas County partners with Neumo Property Alerts for a free sign-up service.
Do I need a lawyer to be appointed executor in Collin County?
Yes. The Collin County Clerk's probate page says the Collin County Probate Court cannot appoint an executor or administrator unless that person is represented by a licensed attorney.
Sources
- Tarrant County Clerk, Real Estate Records
- Tarrant County Clerk, Property Fraud Alert
- Dallas County Clerk, Recording fees and payment
- Dallas County Clerk, Recording Division
- Dallas County Clerk, Property fraud
- Dallas County Clerk, Probate Courts Division: Know Before You Come
- Tarrant County Probate Court No. 1, Probate
- Collin County Clerk, Probate
- Tarrant Appraisal District, Homestead exemption (heir owners)
- Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector
- Dallas County Tax Office
- Texas Estates Code, Chapter 351 (Sec. 351.252 application to borrow)
- Texas Constitution, Article XVI, Section 50 (home equity closing location)
General information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a Texas attorney or CPA about your situation.