TRERC does not publish a DFW days-on-market figure, but the metro had 4.6 months of supply in July 2026, tighter than the 5.5 statewide. Once under contract, your timeline depends on local steps: the HOA certificate, tax certificates, any title cleanup in county records and city permits for agreed repairs.
For the statewide picture of how long a sale takes, including the contract deadlines that apply to every Texas closing, see our Texas guide to how long it takes to sell. This page covers the Dallas-Fort Worth side: where the metro stood in the latest data, and which local offices tend to set the pace between your signed contract and your closing day.
Where the metro stood in July 2026
The Texas Real Estate Research Center's September 2026 report gives these figures for the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro:
- 8,725 closed sales in July, 1.5% fewer than in July 2025, though sales for the year to date were up 2.0%.
- 35,576 active listings at month end, down 4.3% from a year earlier.
- New listings down 3.5% from a year earlier.
- 4.6 months of supply, against 5.5 months for Texas as a whole.
- A median sales price of $390,000.
The report's metro tables do not include a days-on-market figure for DFW. The closest published number is the statewide average for homes sold in July 2026, which our Texas guide covers. A lower months' supply than the state's means fewer listings competing for each sale here, but it is not a promise about any one house.
Two sides of the metroplex
TRERC's commentary adds that Fort Worth-Arlington prices rose year over year for a fourth month in a row, while price declines across the broader DFW market eased to 0.2%. To judge how long your house may take, compare your list price with recent sales on your own side of the metro, not with the metro median.
The local offices on your closing calendar
After you sign, several DFW offices produce paperwork the title company needs. Start each request on day one:
| Office | What it supplies | Time rule or contact |
|---|---|---|
| HOA or management company | Resale certificate and subdivision documents | Due by the 10th business day after a proper request (Property Code 207.003) |
| County tax collector | Tax certificates showing no delinquent taxes | Tarrant, Dallas County and Denton County tax offices each have online account lookups |
| County clerk | Recorded deeds, liens and releases the title search relies on | Search Tarrant, Dallas, Collin or Denton records online before you list |
| City building department | Permits for any repairs you agreed to make | Fort Worth: Accela Citizen Access, 817-392-2222. Dallas: Development Services, 214-948-4480 |
Prevent title delays before you list
Paragraph 6D of the TREC contract gives the seller 15 days to cure the buyer's timely title objections, and the closing date moves out as needed. Title objections can come straight from county records: a loan you paid off years ago with no recorded release, or a lien filed by a contractor or a city. Search your name on tarrant.tx.publicsearch.us, dallas.tx.publicsearch.us, collin.tx.publicsearch.us or denton.tx.publicsearch.us before you list. Anything odd you find early can be fixed before a buyer's clock is running.
Repairs need permits and licensed hands
If you agree to make repairs, paragraph 7F requires you to finish them before the closing date and to obtain any required permits. The work must be done by people licensed to do it or, where no license is required, by people in that trade. In Fort Worth, permits run through the Accela Citizen Access portal. In Dallas, Development Services keeps searchable permit records by permit number or address. Build the permit and inspection time into the closing date you agree to, or price the house so you can skip repairs.
Keep the utilities on until closing
Paragraph 7A requires the seller to keep existing utilities on, at the seller's expense, while the contract is in effect. That lets inspections and any appraisal go ahead on schedule. If you have already moved out, keep the accounts open until the sale closes. Then stop service: Fort Worth Water takes requests at 817-392-4477, and Dallas Water Utilities at (214) 651-1441.
Exemptions and the tax estimate
Paragraph 13 of the TREC contract prorates this year's taxes through closing and allows the estimate to reflect changes in exemptions. Check your exemptions early so the title company's numbers do not need a late fix. Tarrant Appraisal District, for example, explains that a homestead exemption also limits yearly increases in a home's appraised value to 10%, and that since 2022 a buyer may claim the exemption from the date they own and occupy the home if the prior owner did not claim it that year. Dallas, Collin and Denton owners can check their accounts with DCAD, Collin CAD or Denton CAD.
If the house sits empty while you wait
If you have already moved out, a problem in the county record could go unnoticed. Tarrant County's free Property Fraud Alert notifies you when your exact name appears as a grantor or grantee on a recorded document, and Dallas County offers a free alert as well. Signing up takes a few minutes.
A DFW day-one list once you are under contract
- Send the HOA management company a written request for the resale certificate.
- Confirm the title company has ordered tax certificates for every taxing unit.
- Give the title company your loan account numbers for payoff letters.
- Schedule any agreed repairs and pull permits right away.
- Confirm the utilities will stay on through closing.
A shorter timeline with Cash Home Advisors
Cash Home Advisors is based in Fort Worth and buys houses across the metro. With no listing period and no repair list, we can close in 7–14 days, and we pay all closing costs. You see the closing statement before you sign.
Request a free cash offer, see the areas we serve, or visit our Fort Worth and Dallas pages.
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We buy Texas houses as-is, pay all closing costs, and can close in 7–14 days.
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Frequently asked questions
How many months of housing supply does DFW have?
The Texas Real Estate Research Center put the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro at 4.6 months of supply at the end of July 2026, with 35,576 active listings, compared with 5.5 months for Texas overall.
Do I need a city permit for repairs I agree to make before closing in Fort Worth?
The TREC contract says the seller must obtain any required permits for agreed repairs, done by licensed or trade professionals. Fort Worth handles permits through its Accela Citizen Access portal, and Development Services answers at 817-392-2222.
Were DFW home sales up or down in July 2026?
TRERC counted 8,725 closed sales in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro in July 2026, 1.5% fewer than in July 2025. For the year to date through July, metro sales were up 2.0%.
Sources
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Housing Insight, September 2026 (July 2026 data)
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Housing Insight, September 2026, full report (PDF)
- Texas Property Code, Chapter 207 (Sec. 207.003 resale certificates)
- Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector
- Tarrant County Clerk, Real estate records
- Dallas County Clerk, Recording Division
- Collin County Clerk
- Denton County Clerk, Recording Division
- City of Fort Worth, Development Services permits
- City of Dallas, Development Services online records
- Tarrant Appraisal District, Homestead exemption
- Tarrant County Clerk, Property Fraud Alert
- City of Fort Worth, Water account services
- Dallas Water Utilities, Start, stop or transfer service
- Texas Real Estate Commission, Resale contract TREC No. 20-19 (paragraphs 6D, 7A, 7F and 13)
General information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a Texas attorney or CPA about your situation.