Selling a House to Your Child in DFW: Deeds, Fees, Help

Short answer

In DFW a family sale runs through local offices. Check the county records for liens first, record the deed or a transfer on death deed with the county clerk, and have your child file a new homestead application. Three local Area Agencies on Aging can help with Medicaid questions.

The tax and Medicaid rules for a discounted family sale are statewide, and our Texas guide to selling a house to your child below market value explains them. Here we cover the local side for Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton County families: where to check for liens, where the deed gets recorded, how the appraisal district handles the change of owner, and which local agencies can answer questions for free.

Search the county records before you set a price

A parent-to-child sale often skips the title company, and that is where surprises hide. Before agreeing on a number, look up the house in the county's official public records. A recorded lien you forgot about, or one you never knew existed, travels with the house to your child.

DFW records searches: Tarrant County official records · Dallas County Public Search · Denton County Clerk records information

Things worth searching for under the owner's name:

Deeds of trust and releases. Every loan ever recorded against the house should have a matching release, or a payoff at closing.
Abstracts of judgment. Property Code Sec. 52.001 says a recorded abstract of judgment becomes a lien on the debtor's real property in that county that is not exempt from seizure, including property acquired later.
Federal tax liens. These are recorded with the county clerk too. Dallas County's fee page lists a separate charge for filing one.

If anything turns up, sort it out before closing. A title company or a Texas real estate attorney can tell you what has to be paid or released.

Recording the deed with the county clerk

Whether you sign a regular deed now or a transfer on death deed for later, it goes to the clerk in the county where the house is located. Estates Code Sec. 114.055 says a transfer on death deed only works if it is recorded there before the owner dies, so a house in Tarrant County is recorded with the Tarrant County Clerk and a house in Collin County with the Collin County Clerk. The two biggest counties post these fees:

County clerk	First page	Each added page
Tarrant County	$20	$4
Dallas County	$25	$4

Collin and Denton County clerks set their own fees, so check their sites before you go. After recording, pull the document back up in the online search and save a copy.

The appraisal district switch

Once the deed is recorded, the appraisal district will eventually show your child as owner. The tax breaks you had do not move over on their own. Tax Code Sec. 11.43 says a homestead exemption applies until the property changes ownership or the owner's qualification changes. Your child has to apply in their own name.

Tarrant Appraisal District's homestead page lists what a new owner needs:

No filing fee.
A Texas driver's license or ID card, with an address that matches the homestead.
Since January 1, 2022, an owner can claim the exemption from the date they own and occupy the home, as long as the previous owner did not claim a homestead exemption in the same tax year.

If you were 65 or older, check the bill your child will face. TAD explains that owners who qualify for the over-65 or disabled person exemption also get a ceiling on school and locally adopted city, county and special district taxes. That ceiling belongs to the qualifying owner. A younger child buying the house will not inherit it, so the tax bill may rise after the sale.

If you deferred your property taxes

TAD also describes a deferral for owners who are 65 or older, disabled, or qualifying disabled veterans: taxes keep accruing at 5% interest a year, but no one forces payment while the deferral lasts. Tax Code Sec. 33.06 says the tax lien stays on the house during the deferral. Collection can resume once the owner no longer owns and occupies the home, starting on the 181st day after the collector delivers a delinquency notice. A sale to your child ends your ownership. Ask your county tax office for the full deferred balance before closing, so the family knows what is owed and who will pay it.

Free local help with Medicaid questions

A discounted sale can trigger a Medicaid transfer penalty if the parent later needs long-term care. HHSC says Area Agencies on Aging serve people 60 and older and offer services that include benefits counseling. DFW families can contact:

Area Agency on Aging of Tarrant County, part of United Way of Tarrant County, 201 N. Rupert St., Fort Worth. Phone 817-258-8000.
Dallas Area Agency on Aging, serving Dallas County seniors and caregivers from 1341 West Mockingbird Lane.
North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging at NCTCOG, which serves Collin and Denton counties along with twelve others and offers free benefits counseling.

Legal help in the metro

A family deed is simple to sign and hard to undo. For the drafting, use a Texas real estate attorney. If money is tight, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas provides free civil legal services to low-income people in 114 counties. It lists offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, McKinney and Denton, and its intake line is 1-888-529-5277.

This page describes local offices and public rules. It is not legal or tax advice.

If the family sale stalls

Plans change. A child may not qualify for a loan, or siblings may prefer to split cash. Cash Home Advisors is based in Fort Worth and buys houses across DFW. We can close in 7–14 days and we pay all closing costs. You see the closing statement before you sign.

Ask for a cash offer on your house, see the areas we serve, or read about selling in Fort Worth and Dallas.

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

Where do I record a deed to my child for a house in Fort Worth or Dallas?

With the county clerk in the county where the house sits. The Tarrant County Clerk charges $20 for the first page and $4 for each added page. The Dallas County Clerk charges $25 for the first page and $4 for each added page.

How does my child apply for a homestead exemption in Tarrant County?

Through Tarrant Appraisal District. TAD says there is no fee, and the applicant needs a Texas driver's license or ID card showing the homestead address. Dallas, Collin and Denton County homes go through their own appraisal districts.

Will my child keep my over-65 tax ceiling after I sell them the house?

No. Tarrant Appraisal District explains that the ceiling comes with the over-65 or disabled person exemption, and Tax Code Sec. 11.43 says those exemptions apply until the property changes ownership or the owner's qualification changes. Budget for your child's tax bill to be figured fresh.

How can I check for liens on my DFW house before selling it to family?

Search the county's official records online. Tarrant County uses tarrant.tx.publicsearch.us, the Dallas County Clerk calls dallas.tx.publicsearch.us its Public Search site, and Denton County says its real property records search is free.

Sources

General information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a Texas attorney or CPA about your situation.