A DFW owner selling land without an agent can pull the deed from the county clerk, find a real estate attorney through a State Bar certified referral service, and close through a title company. The Tarrant County bar's referral service lists a $20 fee for a 30-minute consultation.
Planning to sell your DFW land yourself? Start with our Texas guide to selling land by owner, which walks through pricing, the contract, the required notices and closing. This page adds the local pieces: where Tarrant, Dallas, Collin and Denton County owners pull their records, how to find a lawyer through a bar referral service, what recording costs, and how to watch the public record while your land is for sale.
Pull your deed and records from the county clerk
Your recorded deed holds the legal description your buyer's deed must repeat. It is filed with the clerk of the county where the land sits.
- Tarrant County. Unofficial watermarked copies of most recorded documents are free to download through the Official Records Search once you register. Copies printed at the courthouse cost $1 a page, and certification adds $5. Staff will help you use the search tool, but the clerk's office says it does not run title searches or lien searches, or determine restrictions.
- Dallas County. The clerk's recording office is in the Records Building at 500 Elm Street. Plain copies cost $1 a page, and a certified copy adds $5 per document.
- Denton County. The clerk says all recordings go to its Denton location, and the real property page links to a property records search.
- Collin County. Land recordings are handled at the clerk's McKinney and Plano offices.
Pull any old survey, plat or easement you find in the record while you are there. A buyer will ask for them, and having them ready shortens the option period conversation.
Find a lawyer without an agent's referral list
TREC's land contracts tell both sides to consult an attorney before signing. An owner without an agent often does not know where to start. The State Bar of Texas certifies lawyer referral services run by local bar associations and nonprofits. Its list includes services from the Tarrant County Bar Association, the Dallas Bar Association and the North Dallas Bar Association, along with a statewide Texas Lawyer Referral Service.
Local legal help: Tarrant County's law library describes the Tarrant County Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service. You answer a few questions online, pay $20 if an attorney is available, and get a referral for a 30-minute consultation. The same page lists the bar's free LegalLine, where volunteer attorneys take calls on certain Thursday evenings. In Dallas, the county law library points to the Dallas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, which refers private lawyers on a fee basis, and to the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program for people with low incomes.
When you call, say you need help with a land sale contract, and mention any oil and gas lease, ag valuation or plan to divide the land. Ask what the attorney charges for drafting versus reviewing.
What recording the deed will cost
The title company usually records the deed and any lien releases after closing. Each county clerk sets per-page fees.
| County | First page | Each added page |
|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | $20 | $4 |
| Dallas | $25 | $4 |
| Denton | $25, plus a required $4 recording information page | $4 |
| Collin | Fee sheet not posted on the land recordings page; call the clerk | |
Under paragraph 12A(1)(a) of TREC 9-18, releasing the seller's existing liens, including their recording fees, is a seller expense.
Watch the public record while the land is listed
An owner who advertises land sells it in public, and anyone can see the deed. It makes sense to know if a document is recorded under your name.
- Tarrant County offers a free Property Fraud Alert. Once you sign up, you are notified by email or phone when your exact name is listed as grantor or grantee on any of more than 90 document types.
- Dallas County lists a sign-up for property fraud alerts. If you believe a fraudulent deed was recorded, its clerk explains the Owner's Affidavit Regarding Purported Conveyance (Property Code Section 5.0206), which you record and then send, with a notice letter, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to both the grantor and the grantee of the suspect deed; Government Code Section 51.9035 then lets you ask a district court to rule on it. A Texas real estate attorney can walk you through it.
- Denton County lists a Property Alert on its real property page.
An alert will not stop a bad filing, but it gives early warning so you can call a lawyer and the title company.
Picking a DFW title company
As a seller without an agent, you will often be the one to open title. Pick a company with an office convenient to you and the buyer, send it the signed contract, and ask for a seller's estimate. The company will hold the earnest money, order the commitment and handle the deed and releases at closing.
If you are dividing the land before you sell, our guide to selling part of mortgaged land in DFW covers city and county plat offices. For a quicker sale, see how to sell land fast in DFW, and for the general process, selling vacant land in DFW.
A DFW owner's to-do list
- Download or copy your recorded deed and any plat or survey from the county clerk.
- Sign up for your county's property alert, if it offers one.
- Book a consultation through a certified bar referral service before you sign a contract.
- Gather the notices your contract needs, including the vacant land tax notice.
- Open title with a DFW title company the day the contract is signed.
- Ask the title company for a seller's estimate that shows recording and release costs.
Selling a DFW house on your own timeline
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Frequently asked questions
How do I find a real estate lawyer in Fort Worth or Dallas?
The State Bar of Texas lists certified lawyer referral services, including those run by the Tarrant County Bar Association, the Dallas Bar Association and the North Dallas Bar Association. Tarrant County's law library says the Tarrant bar service charges $20 for a referral to a 30-minute consultation.
Is there free legal help in Tarrant County?
The Tarrant County law library lists the bar association's LegalLine, where volunteer attorneys answer questions by phone for free on certain Thursday evenings. Slots are limited and you sign up online.
How will I know if someone records a document on my land?
Tarrant County's free Property Fraud Alert notifies you by email or phone when your exact name is listed as grantor or grantee on more than 90 document types. Dallas County also offers a property fraud alert sign-up.
Will the county clerk check my title before I sell?
No. The Tarrant County Clerk says it does not run title searches or lien searches. A title company does that work when it issues the title commitment.
Sources
- State Bar of Texas, Certified lawyer referral services
- Tarrant County Law Library, Free and low cost legal assistance
- Dallas County Law Library, Find a lawyer
- Tarrant County Clerk, Copies of official public records
- Tarrant County Clerk, Property Fraud Alert
- Dallas County Clerk, Property fraud alert
- Texas Property Code, Chapter 5 (Sec. 5.0206 owner's affidavit)
- Tarrant County Clerk, Real estate records fee schedule
- Dallas County Clerk, Recording fees and payment
- Denton County Clerk, Real property fees information
- Collin County Clerk, Land recordings
General information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a Texas attorney or CPA about your situation.