Before a DFW sale, find every lien yourself. Search the county's online records for judgments and tax liens, check your tax office account, and mind the calendar: Tarrant County turns delinquent accounts over to tax attorneys on July 1 with a collection penalty of up to 20% added.
Our Texas guide to selling a house to pay off debt covers the statewide rules: what the homestead exemption protects, how judgment liens work and the six-month rule for sale proceeds. This page is for owners in Fort Worth, Dallas and the surrounding counties. It shows how to find the liens on your own house, what the local tax offices charge and when, and where to get help without paying for it.
Run your own lien search first
Every lien that touches your house is in the county's official public records. Your title company will find them eventually, but knowing early tells you whether a sale will even cover what you owe. DFW counties put these records online:
DFW records searches: Tarrant County official records · Dallas County Public Search · Denton County Clerk records information
Search every version of every owner's name: with and without middle initials, maiden names and any LLC that ever held the house. Note any of these document types:
- Deed of trust with no matching release. An old loan you paid off may never have been released of record.
- Abstract of judgment from a lawsuit you lost or never answered.
- Federal tax lien filed by the IRS. The Dallas County Clerk's fee schedule lists a separate charge for recording these.
- Mechanic's or contractor liens from past work on the house.
Denton County says its real property records search is free. Make a simple list with the document type, date, amount and the creditor's name. That list is what you hand the title company on day one.
Clearing a judgment lien from a DFW homestead
If you find an abstract of judgment and the house is your homestead, Property Code Sec. 52.0012 lets you file an affidavit and a certificate of mailing in the real property records of the county where the homestead sits, and mail the creditor a copy. For a home in Tarrant County that is the Tarrant County Clerk; for a home in Dallas County, the Dallas County Clerk. Recording fees for the documents follow the county schedules:
| County clerk | First page | Each added page |
|---|---|---|
| Tarrant County | $20 | $4 |
| Dallas County | $25 | $4 |
The creditor then has 30 days to file a contradicting affidavit. Build that wait into your sale timeline, and have a Texas attorney or the title company review the paperwork before you file it.
Property taxes: the local calendar
Past-due property taxes are paid from your proceeds at closing, and in DFW they grow on a schedule you can look up. Tarrant County's tax calendar spells it out:
- January 31: last day to pay before delinquency.
- February 1: penalty starts at 6% and rises monthly to 12% in July; interest runs 1% a month until paid.
- July 1: delinquent accounts go to the tax attorneys, and a collection penalty of up to 20% of the unpaid balance is added.
The Tarrant County tax office also notes that it does not contract with Linebarger; instead, each city, county and school district contracts with its own delinquent tax attorney. In Dallas County, the tax office at the Records Building, 500 Elm Street, warned that 2025 taxes not paid by January 31, 2026, would pick up an added 7% in penalty and interest.
If you would rather keep the house, ask your county tax office about an installment agreement. For a homestead with a general homestead exemption, Tax Code Sec. 33.02 requires the collector to offer one on request if you have not had one with that collector in the past 24 months. Tarrant County also lists a quarter payment plan for over-65 and disability homestead accounts, and a half payment option with the first half due by November 30 and the second by June 30. Tax Code Sec. 33.01(b) says a second split payment not made before July 1 picks up a 12% penalty, so do not let that one slide.
Deferral through your appraisal district
Owners 65 or older, disabled, or qualifying disabled veterans can defer property taxes on their homestead under Tax Code Sec. 33.06 by filing an affidavit with the appraisal district. TAD's summary of property owner rights says taxes continue to accrue during the deferral at 5% a year, but no attempt is made to force payment. If you sell, the deferred balance is paid at closing, so ask the tax office for the full figure early.
If the mortgage is behind too
When the debt problem includes missed house payments, check whether a notice of sale has already been posted. Each DFW county posts trustee sale notices online, and sales are held on the first Tuesday of the month (the first Wednesday when that Tuesday is January 1 or July 4). Our DFW foreclosure guide lists where each county holds its sales and how to look up a notice, which tells you how much time a sale or a loss mitigation request has to work with.
Free and low-cost help in DFW
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas serves low-income residents in 114 counties, with offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, McKinney and Denton. Intake: 1-888-529-5277.
- Nonprofit credit counseling. The CFPB points to nonprofit credit counselors as an alternative to debt settlement companies, which typically tell you to stop paying your bills.
- A bankruptcy attorney. The CFPB also suggests talking to one; some offer a free first consultation.
This page describes public records and local offices. It is not legal or financial advice.
Selling your DFW house to us
If the numbers say sell, 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. Your liens and taxes are paid from the price at the title company, and you see the closing statement before you sign.
Start with a free cash offer, check 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.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I check for judgment liens on my house in Tarrant or Dallas County?
Search the owner's name in the county's official records. Tarrant County's records are at tarrant.tx.publicsearch.us, and the Dallas County Clerk calls dallas.tx.publicsearch.us its Public Search site. Look for any abstract of judgment, federal tax lien, deed of trust and release.
When do Tarrant County property taxes become delinquent?
Tarrant County's tax calendar says January 31 is the last day to pay before delinquency. Penalty and interest start February 1, and on July 1 delinquent accounts are turned over to tax attorneys with a collection penalty of up to 20% of the unpaid balance added.
What does it cost to record a homestead affidavit against a judgment lien in DFW?
Recording fees depend on page count. The Tarrant County Clerk charges $20 for the first page and $4 for each added page; the Dallas County Clerk charges $25 and $4. The affidavit goes in the real property records of the county where your homestead is located.
Where can a DFW homeowner get free legal help with debt?
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas provides free civil legal services to low-income residents in 114 counties and lists offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, McKinney and Denton. Its intake line is 1-888-529-5277.
Sources
- Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector, Important dates
- Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector, Property tax
- Dallas County Tax Office
- Tarrant County Clerk, Real estate records fee schedule
- Dallas County Clerk, Recording fees and payment
- Dallas County Clerk, Foreclosures (Public Search site)
- Denton County Clerk, Foreclosure information (free real property records search)
- Texas Property Code, Chapter 52 (Sec. 52.0012 homestead affidavit)
- Texas Tax Code, Chapter 33 (Sec. 33.01 penalties; Sec. 33.02 installment agreements; Sec. 33.06 deferral)
- Tarrant Appraisal District, Property owners have certain rights that may reduce their property tax burden
- CFPB, What are debt settlement/debt relief services and should I use them?
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Locations
General information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a Texas attorney or CPA about your situation.